


For the Dancing and the Dreaming

by Harryissuchalittleshit



Series: Phillip/Weasley [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cancer, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sibling Bonding, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 64,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25167997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harryissuchalittleshit/pseuds/Harryissuchalittleshit
Summary: My dearest one, my darling dearYour mighty words astound meBut I've no need for mighty deedsWhen I feel your arms around me- For the Dancing and the DreamingAudrey and Percy never had it easy, she lost her parents and twin brother, he lost his brother and the trust of his family. They found love in each other, they found family in the other, they found hope in the other.Molly and Lucy see their love and want that for themselves...but then everything falls apart when Molly gets sick again.Molly just wants to go to school, she wants to spend time with her family, she wants everything to go back to normal.Lucy just wants her sister back.
Relationships: Lucy Weasley/Devon Jordan, Molly Weasley II/Artie Jacobs, Percy Weasley/Audrey Phillips
Series: Phillip/Weasley [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823236
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Summer - June 22nd

**Author's Note:**

> Well this has been years in the making, I have been writing this story for quite a while and I'm happy to finally share it with the world.

Part One – Summer

** Chapter One: June 22nd **

Molly Abigail Weasley would never say that she was the brains to any operation that she and her twin sister, Lucille Fredalena Weasley came up with. Lucy was the Ravenclaw after all, but when it came to fabric, thread, and a sewing needle, Molly was the only brain between the two of them.

Lucy could design and put together fabrics and colors, she was better at making things visibly appealing, Molly could take her vison and make it real.

That was how they worked, how they put their ideas together.

Lucy wasn’t one to take orders anyways, Lucy gave orders and expected results.

Molly followed, growing up she was always a step behind Lucy. Lucy walked, talked, laughed first, she was even born first. Six minutes had separated them, six long tedious minutes.

Six was their number, it was lucky to them.

At six days, they came home for the first time, they had six uncles, and at six years old, Molly had her sixth operation. At six years old, Molly had come home for six whole months before going back into St. Mungo’s.

Six was their number.

Six was the amount of times they fell down while learning to ride a bike, six minutes was the amount of time they talked every night before bed, and six was the amount of times that they said goodbye to one another.

Six was the amount of times they had ever fought with one another and six hours was the longest they ever went without talking.

It had taken Molly six minutes to come into the world after her sister, and she would always be six minutes behind her.

Six was their number.

“Six more stitches and I’ll be done,” Molly told Lucy, before Lucy could even ask. They had been able to read the others mind long before they ever spoke, their father called it twin telepathy.

Molly and Lucy called it sisterhood.

“We still have to get dressed,” said Lucy as she looked through their shared closest. They shared everything, well almost everything, Lucy was blue and Molly was yellow, long before they were ever sorted.

Molly took after their mother, she was always bright and happy, she could see the light in everything, but when things turned dark, it was hard for her to breakout. Lucy was like their father, she was calculating and calm, she was the practical of the two of them, she laid out a problem to find the solution.

They fit together, just as their parents did.

Molly finished hemming the skirt of the dress she made for their mother. It was black and with a white lace overlay. It was knee length and reminiscent of what their mother wore on her wedding day.

It was fitting, as they were going to an anniversary party.

Molly and Lucy rushed down the hall to their parent’s bedroom. It was Molly’s favorite room in the whole house, more than her and Lucy’s bedroom. Molly felt safe in her parent’s bedroom as if nothing could go wrong. It smelled like her mother’s perfume and her father’s aftershave, it had her mother’s tights in a pile on the floor and her father’s shirts hanging out of the hamper. The bed was made, but messily so, and the small wardrobe that their father bought for their mother on the first of her birthdays they celebrated together was in the corner, clothes spilling out of it.

Lucy sat on the bed, right beside their father who had been dressed and ready to go for the last hour, as he always was. Percy Weasley was always punctual and prepared, many claimed that to be his best trait, the women in his life claimed for it to be his most annoying trait.

Molly went to the changing divider and threw the dress over the top.

“What is this?” asked Audrey peeking around the side to look at Molly. “You’re doing then?”

“For you, for tonight,” said Molly, and just as quickly as they came, Molly and Lucy ran back to their room.

They dressed quickly and then met their parents downstairs.

The thing about the Phillips-Weasley family was that as much as they didn’t work, so much personality, so many differences, they were all perfect together. As soon as you took out one of them, the equation no longer worked. It had always been mind boggling to Molly, but her parents had been a unit for longer than she had been alive, and she wasn’t going argue with it.

~`~

It takes Percy Weasley exactly ten minutes to fall in love with Audrey Phillips. It took her fourteen months and a positive pregnancy test for Audrey to realize she loved Percy just as much.

Sitting at her kitchen table with the positive pregnancy test in front of her was not how she imagined her Saturday night. Her brother Rory was off at work, so she had no one to talk to about her discovery. Percy was due home hours ago, but she wasn’t ready for him yet.

She wasn’t ready for anyone.

The agreement had been simple when Percy moved in. They had been dating for four months, she had met his family and he had met her surrogate family. They all got along well, Rory had approved of him. She wanted more, she was never one to take a leap that had always been Lucas.

Her twin was the adventurous one. Lucas had been so much, he was smart and funny and her rock when things went wrong. Lucas wanted more for the world, he wanted to change the world from the inside out. He was going to be the Minister of Magic, once upon a time ago.

But she jumped for Percy anyways.

Then came her birthday, it was the hardest day of the whole year, for seventeen years she shared the day with Lucas, but for the last six she had been on her own.

He stayed, slept outside of their bedroom door, until she came out to let him in.

Christmas with his family hadn’t been easy, everyone still hurt, even six years later. But Teddy Lupin and Percy’s niece Victoire didn’t know any better. They didn’t know that Christmas was a sad time for those who they lost, because the young didn’t know loss. Teddy who lost his grandfather before he was born, his parents a week after his birth, and his grandmother at the age of four, was too young to understand this kind of sadness.

Audrey felt it though, and so did Percy and his siblings. Percy knew even more people who lost their lives than Audrey, he had friends, family, and those as close as family.

Audrey loss her parents and her twin; she loss a handful of friends, and that was all.

She also loss her opportunity to live out her dreams.

After Christmas was Rory’s birthday, and Percy had a few family birthdays, all before the anniversary of the end of the war again.

None of it made Audrey feel better about the test in front of her. She wasn’t good at taking tests, Lucas was the star student of the Phillips siblings. Audrey would study for hours to get average grades, Lucas could go into any test with no preparation and pass, while Rory retained all the information he needed by studying.

This was the first test that Audrey ever wished to not pass.

Luck never went her way.

~`~

Lucy Weasley stared out the window, she could count on one hand the amount of times music wasn’t playing in the car. Lucy’s childhood could be remembered in listening to Billy Joel, The Eagles, and Fleetwood Mac, her mother’s favorites. Each song, every lyric had a memory, a story, connected to it.

It was something that was kept to the four of them, no one else in the family knew of these little traditions that the Phillips-Weasley family kept to themselves. The closest anyone came to knowing was Dominique, one of Audrey and Percy’s goddaughters.

Dominique was also Molly and Lucy’s only cousin that was the same age as them.

Lucy was the oldest of the three of them, she was in charge of keeping Molly out of trouble and Dominique in line. Lucy was the Ravenclaw, Molly their Hufflepuff, and Dominique the Gryffindor. Lucy liked to think that she was the brains, Molly the spirit, and Dominique the muscle, as that’s what they were taught about the houses.

Molly tapped Lucy’s arm in a familiar rhythm, Uncle George had taught them Morse code when they were little. When Molly was too tired or sick to move her head, they could always tap a message back and forth to one another.

Lucy gave a slight nod to Molly’s question and looked back out the window. The scenery outside was becoming more and more familiar. The Burrow was her home away from home, it was as familiar as breathing to Lucy, something that Molly would never understand.

Just as Lucy would never understand the list of names and dates on Molly’s leg.

St. Mungo’s was Molly’s Burrow, a place she spent most of her childhood.

It was one of their very few differences.

“Here we are,” said Percy as they pulled into the sweeping driveway for the Burrow. A large marquee was set up in the garden, as it had been twenty years ago to the day.

For Percy and Audrey’s wedding.

~`~

Percy opened the door to the apartment he shared with Audrey and her brother, Rory. It was small and homey, but that didn’t mean anything to the three of them.

Percy found Audrey immediately, sitting at the tiny table in the kitchen area. She looked beautiful with her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders and her clear blue eyes staring him down as they always did.

Audrey was always beautiful, even when she didn’t think so, even when she didn’t want to be.

Percy thought that was what love was once, wanting someone even at their worst, it took him years to figure out that wasn’t true.

Every day with Audrey was a challenge that he loved more than anything. An uphill battle that he loved to climb every day.

“What are you doing home?” Percy asked, his thought out plans were now in shambles, he expected Audrey home later.

“I live here,” said Audrey, and Percy knew that something was wrong, something was off. He crossed the main room to stand beside her.

Audrey was good at hiding things, she spent so long hiding herself away from her friends, from her family, and from herself. But as good as she was at hiding, she couldn’t lie to save her life.

Percy thought carefully about his next words, he had to be careful. Audrey wasn’t temperamental, but there were times when her emotions got the best of her, or worse depending on who it was.

“Audrey… love,” said Percy taking her hand in his, she looked up at him.

“Yes Percy?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly.

“I love you,” he told her as he went down on one knee. “I love you so much.”

“Percy,” said Audrey quietly, pulling away from him, and he knew something was off. “Please.”

“Audrey, I was going to wait,” said Percy, sitting back slightly. “But I want to marry you, I want to have children with you, and I want us to have more. More than what our parents had.”

“My parents were happy Percy, and your parents were always happy,” Audrey told him as she stood up and walked to the sink. “I want what they had. I just don’t know if I’m ready yet.”

“I am,” said Percy, he stood up and wrapped his arms around Audrey’s waist. She became still in his arms, and it confirmed all of his worries. “What’s wrong? You told me that you were ready a few days ago.”

“I’m pregnant, Percy.”

Percy took a step back, this was unexpected. He never did well with surprises, ever since he was little. Fred and George always took advantage of that, his lack of anticipation. He took a moment to compose himself and in that moment he realized it didn’t change his feelings.

“I still want to marry you, Audrey,” he told her, stepping forward and hugging her to himself again. “I still love you, I want us to move forward.”

“Ask me again tomorrow,” said Audrey, turning around in Percy’s arms. “I promise I’ll react better.”

“How about we just get married now then?”

~`~

Molly Abigail Weasley was the splitting imagine of her Nana Molly. She had the same curly hair, same light brown eyes, and the same small statue. There were times when she wondered how her parents got it so right, but the truth was, she was named after both of her grandmothers.

When her parents found out they were having twins, they had decided that one would give a first name and the other a middle name. Her father, the gentleman, allowed her mother to go first, so she named Lucy after her late twin, Lucas. Her father named Molly after his mother, the strongest woman he had ever met.

She would’ve been named Molly Fredalena if her father had his way, but her mother decided to name her Abigail, after her own late mother.

Lucy would’ve been named Lucille Riona, if her mother got her way, Riona for her father Ronan. But then they had decided to change it to Fredalena to give Molly the middle name Abigail.

Both of them were more than pleased with their given names, they didn’t need their Irish heritage being more obvious than it already was. Riona just didn’t sound that nice with either of their names, and it would’ve been too much of a hassle to teach someone to say it.

Molly stared at the old photograph of her grandmother, back when she was fifteen, before she had met Molly’s grandfather. Molly loved her grandparents, her grandfather was so caring and kind and while his love for Muggles could be annoying, it was more than endearing at times. Molly’s grandmother was stern and loving and the most protective person Molly knew, she knew it was an honor to be named after her.

But somedays, she knew that she fell short.

Molly Abigail Weasley was caring and kind and loyal, she was sweet and good and sunshine to everyone she met. But that wasn’t her grandmother. Nana Molly was the one person who held the whole family together, without her, all of her children would’ve walked away at seventeen. She held them close and didn’t let them go, not even after the war, not after losing one of her sons, not after all of her children had got married and had children of their own.

Nana Molly held them all close.

Molly pushed them away.

She thought it was an injustice, because her Nana Molly was so much more than just that, she was more than a mother or grandmother. She was more than a wife or even a friend.

Nana Molly was what Molly hoped to one day be.

She also started dating Grandad Arthur at fifteen.

~`~

Audrey never thought that she would have a shotgun wedding, but here she was standing in front of Percy, hand in hand. She had to admit, she was impressed with him; he had everything ready, almost as if he already knew this was going to happen.

“I was going to ask you earlier, two months ago, but I could hear them all saying that we barely knew each other, we only been together for a year,” explained Percy, this is what she got for saying they would do their own vows. “But I love you Audrey, I’ll love you forever. You are my moon and stars, you are my happiness and my joy, and I want you from now to the end of our time.”

Audrey blushed and she felt her hand begin to shake as he placed a ring on her fourth finger. “I promise my heart to you, I promise to love you in sickness and health, in times of hardship and happiness, in good faith and in bad. I love you Audrey, and I promise I’ll make you a happy bride and be a good husband.”

Audrey wanted to kiss him right then and there, who cared about what she had to say right now.

“Percy, I never thought I would be here right now, in this moment with you. I haven’t dreamed about my future since I was sixteen, but you make it so easy. For the last few months, every time I’ve thought of what was to happen next, you have been there,” Audrey told him, holding his hand in both of hers.

“I promise to make you happy and to be good to you for whatever may come for us,” said Audrey as she took the ring from their official to put on Percy’s fourth finger. “I promise to love you in sickness and in health, in our times of hardship and in our times of happiness, I promise to love you through the good and the bad, I promise to never stop loving you from now to the end of our time.”

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” said Darcy, their official, “you may now kiss your bride.”

Audrey pulled Percy to her and kissed him like she never had before. She loved and wanted him more than anything else.

“I love you,” Audrey whispered before kissing him again.

“And I you,” whispered Percy, as he took her in his arms and turned to go home.

Together as husband and wife.

~`~

Lucy ran her fingers through her long red hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. She wished that she had curly hair like Molly, even though she complained about it all the time. She was one of three of the cousins who didn’t have curly hair, Louis and Lily were the other two. They were the L squad, though James called them the Lame squad.

“Do you want me to do that?” asked Molly as she came up behind her. Lucy let her take over, Molly wasn’t the best at braiding, but Lucy couldn’t reach behind her. Molly had spent so much time without hair that she didn’t ever really do much with it, other than putting some sleakeasy potion in it.

Molly was good at clothes, and makeup, and all the other girly things, she always found the best music and the best movies to watch. She had so many more friends than Lucy did, so many more connections than Lucy would ever had.

A lot of Molly’s closest friends were a name and date on her right leg, but for every one on her leg there were two still alive.

Lucy turned her head slightly at a knock on the door, Rose walked in looking exhausted and tired. She had probably been helping with the food preparations all day. Rose loved to be in the kitchen, she made it clear by always being there for every family dinner or party or event, she was Nana Molly’s favorite.

“Hi,” said Rose a little breathlessly, before she fell down on the bed. They were in Auntie Ginny’s old bedroom, it was the smallest bedroom, but all of the girls in the family loved this room. They had sleepovers and makeover parties and more fun than anyone ever thought they did in this room.

Lucy was sure that Auntie Ginny understood, it was her room after all. She had spent years in it to herself, having her own fun.

“Are you okay Rosie?” asked Molly as she finished Lucy’s hair and walked over to Rose. Lucy could see her sister rubbing Rose’s back through the mirror in front of her. Molly who could be incredibly gentle when she wanted to be.

“I’m so tired Molly,” said Rose as she rolled over onto her back. “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to stay awake all night.”

“We can move into a different room so you can take a nap,” offered Lucy, as she picked up the garment bags they sent ahead earlier in the week.

“No, I’ll go,” said Rose, already starting to get up, but Molly pushed her back down.

“We’ll go, you take a nap and I’ll come wake you before we go out,” said Molly, following after Lucy with the last of their things.

“Thank you Molly, Lucy,” said Rose, as the twins left the room.

~`~

Percy brought Audrey to the Burrow, it probably wasn’t what she expected, but it was where he wanted to be. They would have a reception later, but now it was time for dinner.

“Hi mum,” said Percy as he led Audrey inside. They were joining Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry, George, and Angelina along with his parents. “Dad, care if we join?”

“Of course, come sit,” said Molly, jumping up to hug them both. Percy smiled, because he knew that Audrey loved this sort of coddling.

Audrey took a seat beside Ginny and Percy on her other side. He wanted to tell everyone the good news, both parts of it, but he felt as if it was Audrey’s news to share.

Right now though, it was dinner time and Percy was hungry.

“Audrey dear, how was your day today?” asked Molly and Percy felt Audrey squeeze his knee.

“It didn’t start well, but it’s much better now,” said Audrey, turning to look at him. Percy smiled down at his bride, Audrey made him so happy, so incredibly happy.

Percy could feel the eyes of his siblings on him, they knew that something had happened. George had been there when he had decided to purpose earlier that day and Angelina had spotted him when Oliver and Romulus had helped him pick out a ring.

He knew that when he proposed that he wanted to get married the same day. He just planned on doing this earlier.

He could already hear Bill saying that this was an immature decision, that he should’ve waited longer, that a pregnancy was no reason to jump in.

But Percy wasn’t Bill, it had taken him years to stop trying to achieve that status.

Percy would never be the oldest brother.

“The two of you got married,” said George with a warm smile.

It was suddenly like a spell exploded, everyone began offering their congratulations, trying to shout over one another. But Percy could only look at his parents, who were both smiling and holding the others hand. His father nodded and his mother smiled, Percy knew he didn’t need their approval, but having it made him feel warm and happy inside.

Long after dinner and dessert, long after his siblings and their partners left, Percy found his mother in the kitchen with Audrey. They told no one of the pregnancy, Percy didn’t think it was his to tell, but he could tell that his mother and Audrey were closer than before.

“Percy,” said a voice from behind him. Percy turned to his father, “come talk with me.”

They walked out through the front door, back around to the garden and headed to the shed his father used for all of his Muggle things. They sat down on the only two cleared off stools in the shed and Percy was ready to hear the speech that George warned him about.

“Percy,” said Arthur quietly, “I know that you and I have had our differences, but I’m going to tell you what I’ve told your brothers and what my father told me. If you hurt Audrey, then you are not welcomed back into this family.”

Percy was shocked, this was not what his father had told George.

“We will completely disown you, more than we did during the war,” continued Arthur. “She is a part of our family now, an addition that you brought, and as much as your mother and I love you, we will take care of her before you.”

Percy thought over his father’s words. He didn’t want to live without Audrey, but the thought of living without his family again. The war had been hard for many reasons, but not seeing his siblings, not talking to his parents every day, it had almost killed him.

“If I ever hurt her, then don’t let me live,” Percy told him quietly, he sat up straight to his full height. He didn’t know when he got taller than his father, but now he was the tallest of the family, even taller than Bill. “I don’t want her to ever suffer, I love her so much and never want to hurt her.”

“The same thing your brothers said,” said Arthur with a laugh, and he stood up to leave the shed. Percy suddenly felt small again, his father’s calmness about the matter made him feel like a small child again. “I’m proud of you and Audrey, this is a big step for both of you, and a baby on top of it is a lot of responsibility.”

They left the shed, but on the way back to the house, Percy stopped in his tracks. They were just outside the kitchen door, and he could see his mother and Audrey at the kitchen sink still.

“How did you know?” asked Percy, staring at his father’s back. Arthur was just at the bottom of the steps, halfway reaching to the door handle.

“She refused the drink I offered her,” explained Arthur turning to smile at his son. “Though to be honest, I thought you were going to ask her at Christmas.”

“I’ve been thinking about it since then,” Percy told him, though the truth was that he had been sure within days of meeting Audrey. Together, Percy and Arthur, walked up the steps and into the kitchen. Audrey and Molly turned to look at the pair of them, Molly looked happy and content and Audrey the same, though weary.

“I think it’s time for the two of you to head out,” said Molly, before hugging both Audrey and Percy, “I’m so happy for the two of you.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t think to invite you,” said Audrey quietly. “It was just so sudden.”

“Don’t worry yourself,” said Molly, as she tucked herself into Arthur’s side, “your parents weren’t there either.”

Percy grabbed Audrey’s hand and squeezed it softly, they had talked about it before they went to the Ministry, about both of their parents not coming.

“Audrey,” said Arthur, “just know that our door is always open, and that you are welcomed at any time. Anything that you need, come to us as you would’ve with your own parents.”

“Thank you,” said Audrey, as she leaned into Percy’s side. He could tell that she was incredibly tired now. “I know that we’ll need the support soon.”

Percy looked down at her, the hand that wasn’t in his, was resting on her stomach. He was scared to be a father, but it would work out, he had Audrey at his side.

~`~

Lucy put on her glasses, this was the most defining difference she and Molly had, their hair and eyes were often overlooked, they were still mistaken for each other all the time, even by their family. James was the worst, he often mixed them up and called them the wrong name. Lucy used to think it was funny, but now it was getting ridiculous, at this point it was more than obvious who was who.

“I should’ve measured again,” mumbled Molly as she tucked in Lucy’s pants.

“You measured yourself, its fine,” said Lucy, rolling her eyes. “ _We_ are the same height.”

Molly sighed and stood up, brushing her hands down her dress. She was wearing their mother’s classic yellow dress, one that they grew up seeing at least once a week.

“Did you bring the tie?” asked Molly and Lucy pulled her Ravenclaw tie out of her pocket. Lucy took a step forward and tied it around Molly’s neck. This was also something that their mother wore at least once a week also.

Their mother always wore something blue, she had every day since the war.

“I think we’re ready now,” said Lucy as the pair of them turned to the mirror they set up in the corner. They looked like their parents, even more than they usually did.

“Then I think it’s time,” said Molly as she grabbed her shawl and they left the bedroom. On their way downstairs, Molly woke up Rose and they headed out.

Outside in the marquee, Lucy could see all of their family and their parent’s friends sitting at the tables around a center dance floor. By the looks of it, no food had been served yet, but everyone was sitting and talking to each other.

The most noise was coming from the table closest to them, where James and Freddie were sitting and laughing together.

Molly looped her arm in Lucy’s and together they walked to the center of the dance floor. Everyone in the tent quieted at the sight of the pair of them. Lucy never enjoyed being the center of attention, but having Molly beside her made it easier.

“Hi everyone!” called Molly, giving a quick wave around the tent. “Thank you all for coming!”

“Tonight is our parents’ twentieth wedding anniversary,” said Lucy, as Molly held her hand reassuringly. “And we’ve decided to make a little skit of how they met.”

Lucy could already hear the giggling and laughter from her aunts and uncles, those both related and those that treated the girls like their nieces. Almost everyone in the room knew their parents’ bumpy life together, they had a lot more downs than ups.

The scars on Molly’s arms and legs and stomach were all proof of the hardships after the twins were born. The scars that her parents bared, old and worn and almost gone, were proof of their hardships before they met.

Lucy didn’t have any scars like her sister or parents, but she knew their stories. When she was little, she would ask to hear them over and over again. It got to the point that she was asking every night for the story of how they met.

It was her favorite.

Her mother could tell a good story, but her father added all the details. Together they were seamless, they were the perfect pair.

~`~

“I don’t know how your mum knew, but she knew I was pregnant last week,” Audrey told Percy, her husband. It was like a dream to think of them as husband and wife, but she was happy.

“She’s had seven kids,” said Percy, as he brushed a curl behind her ear. “She told Fleur she was pregnant two weeks before Fleur went to the Healers.”

“Why didn’t she tell me then?” asked Audrey quietly, tucking her head under Percy’s.

“I don’t know,” whispered Percy as he wrapped his arms around her. “I know that she took to you better than Fleur.”

“That’s not very reassuring,” mumbled Audrey. Fleur was Molly’s favorite, she had given Molly her first and only grandchild, and she was also a good help during family meals.

“Believe me,” said Percy with a small laugh, “it is from what Ginny’s told me.”

Audrey sighed, she enjoyed Ginny and all of her strong opinions and ideas, but Audrey still didn’t know her too well. She didn’t know how much to believe or what to believe, not yet.

“I’ll take _your_ word,” Audrey told him, twisting her head to look up at him. “I did marry you and not your sister.”

“Thanks love.”

~`~

Molly laid her head on Lucy’s shoulder, she was exhausted. The day had started early and it was still going. They sat together in the back seat of the car, up front, their father was driving and their mother was whispering to him. Molly could see them holding hands over the center consul and she felt warm.

Her parents were the kind of relationship she hoped to someday have. They were kind and nice and always there for each other. They stood together in all of the bad and all of the good, she had watched them sacrifice themselves over and over again.

She watched them do it for her.

Molly had been three years old when she had been diagnosed with Leukemia. It took six years for her to go into remission. Six years, sixty surgeries, a kidney from Uncle George, and more sacrifices than Molly could know or imagine.

Lucy got to have a normal childhood, she got to go to school, she got to play and roughhouse with the cousins, she got to learn and play and have all the fun Molly was denied.

Maybe this was why Molly still liked to play and run and roughhouse with the cousins. She liked to do cartwheels and jump around and play like a child. It was the fun she never got to have.

Lucy rested her head on top of Molly’s and wrapped her arm around Molly’s shoulder. The only thing that really annoyed Molly about Lucy, was that Lucy thought she had to protect her, Lucy thought that she had to look after her.

But she was six minutes older after all.


	2. Summer - August 30th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the summer ends and we get the beginning of our plot line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so we're all clear, Percy and Audrey's sections take place in the past, while Molly and Lucy's sections take place during their present.

** Chapter Two: August 30th **

Percy unlocked the door to the joke shop.

It was dirty and gross and quiet. Grimy where it should’ve been sparkling and clean. Percy had walked pass the shop every day since it opened. He had laughed at the advertisements in the front windows and wished his brothers well in their endeavors.

He took George’s keys, he was tired of hanging around the house. He needed something to do, something other than watch his siblings play Quidditch or go to Hogwarts to help in the rebuilding. He had to do something away from the reminders of the war.

He went upstairs, and unlocked the door for the flat above the shop. It was just as grimy up there as it was downstairs, but the flat at least showed signs of life. A sweater left on the couch, traveling cloaks hanging off the backs of chairs, cups in the sink, and an old newspaper on the kitchen counter.

Percy could almost see his younger brothers sitting at the table for dinner, running up here for a quick break, laughing on the couch while listening to the radio.

He found a clean rag and filled the sink up with soap and water, then he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

He found Muggle cleaning therapeutic and humbling, something that he knew he needed. He started with the flat, scrubbing and wiping and mopping away all of dirt that got to settle for a year.

His brothers moved back in with his parents when they went into hiding. He wished that he had been able to go with them, one more redhead in the sea of them.

At the start of the war, there were nine Weasley’s, defragmented and pulled apart, but nine of them. At the end, there were still nine of them, one married in, but another missing.

Fred had died fighting beside Percy, it was the first time they spoke since Percy left home.

It was the last time they would ever talk to one another. At least Percy had been able to make him laugh, make one last joke with one of his favorite brothers.

It was days like this, that he missed him more than anything.

Ron had told him stories of the things he missed, cleaning Grimmauld Place was one of them, his mother making them clean like Muggles so it was fair for all of them. This was his own Grimmauld Place.

He knew that George was killing himself over not being there to say goodbye to Fred, Percy hated seeing him locked away in his old bedroom wallowing in his own depression. Falling into himself over and over again. It wasn’t healthy, but no matter what any of them tried, they couldn’t get him to leave his bed, his cocoon of blankets and memories.

Percy was done trying with George, but just for the moment, the day.

~`~

Lucy liked stocking the shop, it was calming to her, putting things where they belonged. She liked to keep things organized and clean, it was how she kept her side of the room she shared with Molly.

At least it normally was clean and well organized. This last week of summer has been quite the turnaround. They always spent the last week of August helping stock and clean the shop along with Freddie and Roxanne. Last night was the annual Potter Party, which ended as it always did, with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry showing up and making them clean up the yard and house.

It caused for a late night and then a very early morning.

“Let’s go to the diner when we’re done,” called Freddie from his broom above Lucy.

“That sounds good,” said Lucy as she grabbed more daydream spells out of the box beside her.

They continued stocking in silence, other than the radio playing from the backroom. Molly had turned it up loud, but it was just soft background music from where Lucy and Freddie were at the front of the shop.

Lucy grabbed her empty boxes and headed to the backroom to grab more. She was exhausted, Freddie and Roxanne had apparated the four of them up to the flat and they slept for a few hours before starting their work. She almost had rather they started working right away.

She walked pass Roxanne at the end of the aisle and told her of the diner plans. Then she walked into the backroom.

The music was almost overwhelmingly loud in the room, Lucy wanted nothing more than to turn it down, but something inside of her said that something was wrong. She quickly scanned the room for Molly.

“Roxanne! Freddie! Help!!”

~`~

Audrey stood in front of the old brownstone townhouse. Percy was right beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist. She wasn’t really enjoying house shopping as much as Percy was, he knew all the questions to ask and he had a vision for every room.

Audrey didn’t have that; she looked at the kitchens and thought of her mother’s Irish stew; the living rooms and saw her brothers and father watching football on the telly; and in every bedroom she saw herself packing up her things in the middle of the night before escaping.

She felt haunted in every house. She was plagued by memories of her family, of the ghosts in her life.

Her parents were from a small village outside of Galloway, they had owned a stationary shop and lived just a short bike ride outside of town. Audrey had loved visiting her parents at the shop, it was where she had taken her first steps, said her first words, had laughed and played her whole childhood.

She missed her parents every day and she missed her brother every minute of the day, a part of her felt like there was something more missing in her life without them.

It was being made more clearly every day as she started to see and feel her pregnancy.

“I think this will be the one,” said Percy as they walked up to the gate.

Audrey stayed quiet and allowed Percy to lead her into the house. She felt the same anxious feeling that always came to her in every house they had toured.

The truth was, every house looked the same to her. A nice kitchen attached to a dining room, a front room that went into a living room with a fireplace, upstairs was three or four bedroom with at least one bathroom.

The master bedroom was always roomy, the other bedrooms were nice and Percy always mentioned something about a nursery.

This house was just like all the others. Percy seemed to enjoy this one even more than any of the others though.

“What do you think?” asked Percy, once Audrey met him back in the kitchen. He was sitting on the counter, something that she found out he did quite often, but that his mother would always tell him off for.

“I think it’s just like all the others.”

Percy frowned and Audrey felt small. What _was_ she supposed to say, this house looked just like all the others.

“Do we not want to move?” asked Percy, jumping down from the counter.

“I do,” said Audrey looking up at him, “I just don’t think that this matters, a house is a house, what matters is the people in it.”

“Okay, I understand now,” said Percy as he hugged her to him. “But was there anything that you liked in particular?”

“I liked the window seat in the one bedroom, and I think we could make the attic into an office for you,” Audrey told him as she hugged him back. “I also liked that there’s a bathroom connecting two of the bedrooms together.”

“I like it a lot here also, there’s good schools in the area, it’s close to both of our jobs, and we have hedges so the kids can play with toy brooms in the back yard. They can live in the Wizarding community and the Muggle community here,” said Percy as he held her.

“If this place makes you happy, then we’ll move here,” Audrey told him.

~`~

Molly cracked open her eyes, she was so tired and she felt sick to her stomach. She hadn’t even drank the night before, it was all so unfair.

She turned her head slightly, but felt a hand on her leg press down, not enough to hurt, but it was enough to make her put her head down. She glanced down, and saw Lucy sitting at the end of the bed.

“They’re about to come back,” Lucy whispered and Molly nodded.

“What happened?”

“You fainted, again,” Lucy told her, pulling her hand away. “You told me you were fine.”

“I am,” mumbled Molly, glaring at her sister. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“That’s not what they think,” said Lucy, pulling her legs in. “They had to run a bunch of tests.”

Molly sighed just as the door to the room opened, she had no idea who was coming in, but she was sure that it was her parents, Uncle George, and Healer Finch-Fletchley. He was her normal Healer, and had been taking care of her for years.

“Hello Miss Lucy,” said Healer Finch-Fletchley and Molly wanted nothing more than to roll over and see him. “How are you today?”

“Fine,” mumbled Lucy looking down at Molly. “Will Molly come back to school with me?”

Molly turned her head at the sound of silence, she knew what that meant.

“I want to go back to school,” said Molly, she sat up and sat beside Lucy. “I’m fine.”

“Lucy, why don’t we wait outside,” said Uncle George and Molly wrapped her arm through Lucy’s. “Or not.”

“Molly your cancer has come back,” said Healer Finch-Fletchley, taking a seat in the empty chair beside Molly’s bed. “I know you don’t feel the effects of it right now, but you won’t be able to return to school until you get the all clear. Believe me, I wish I could give it to you right now, but that’s not going to happen.”

“How long will I be out then?” asked Molly, and she felt Lucy grip her hand tightly.

“I don’t know, but if we start treatment right away, we should be able to get you back to school before you know it,” said Healer Finch-Fletchley, and Molly sighed before resting her head on Lucy’s shoulder.

“I don’t want to be stuck in a hospital for my fifth year, OWLs are this year,” said Molly, feeling herself start to fall apart. She held onto Lucy for support, this wasn’t fair, she deserved better.

She could feel Lucy tapping her fingers against her leg, telling her over and over again, “it’ll be okay, it’ll be okay, it’ll be okay.”

~`~

Percy continued to scrub the floor of the shop, it was slow work cleaning the grimy sludge off the floor. He didn’t know what got spilled on there, but it was taking more effort than he wanted to give to clean it up.

“Percy!” called a voice from out front. “You in here still?”

Percy stood up and walked to the front room, Bill and Charlie were standing just inside the front door. Percy always felt small whenever it was just him with his older brothers.

Bill was the oldest and felt as if he was on the same level as their parents. Percy had once looked up to Bill, he was Head Boy and he was valedictorian, but then he left. Bill left to escape them, he went as far away as he could.

Charlie was cool, but he was a bit aloof; he had been Quidditch captain and a leader for all of the younger siblings to look up to. Charlie left to chase after his dreams, but he also wrote and kept in touch much better than Bill ever had.

When Percy had heard that Bill moved back to England, then that he was getting married, Percy had thought him crazy. Bill barely knew Fleur, but less than a year later, they were engaged.

“What are the two of you doing here?” asked Percy, wiping his hands off on one of his old Gryffindor t-shirts from school. “Everything okay?”

“We were just seeing what you were up too,” said Bill looking around the dirty shop. “Are you cleaning this place the Muggle way?”

“Yes,” said Percy, feeling stupid for making his task longer than necessary. “It’s nice.”

Charlie shook his head softly and Bill looked around again in disdain. “Are you going to get George back in here?” asked Charlie with a frown.

“You can’t force him to do anything Percy,” said Bill and Percy rolled his eyes.

“I’m not going to force him to do anything, I just can’t be at home and watch them play Quidditch or all disappear to Hogwarts,” Percy told them, because it was the truth.

“Running away again,” mumbled Bill and Charlie rolled his eyes.

“This place was important to Fred,” said Percy, feeling his temper start to rise, “and if I have to clean this place and run this place all by myself I will!”

“You don’t know anything about this place,” Bill told him, crossing his arms in defense, “you don’t know anything about the products or the work that the two of them put into here! You don’t know Fred and George!”

“I know them better than you!” yelled Percy and he turned on his heel and went back to the backroom.

Bill, always needing the last word, followed after him. “You didn’t spend the war with them Percy! You took the easy way out and sided with the Ministry!”

“On Dumbledore’s orders Bill!” screamed Percy in the doorway. “He told me the only way to protect all of you was to betray you!”

Bill was silent, and Charlie sighed from where he stood a few feet behind the pair of them. Bill looked over at Charlie and asked, “did you know?”

“I did, but Perce asked me not to tell anyone, not even mum and dad,” said Charlie, leaning against the cash register counter. “He’s telling the truth Bill.”

“Dumbledore told me that he needed someone in the Ministry, someone high up who could pass information out. I did it because no one would believe dad would ever betray Dumbledore, but they could believe that I betrayed the family,” Percy told them, as he hugged himself, remembering what he did during the war. “I didn’t know what to do when Dumbledore died, but I knew I had to keep up what I was so I didn’t get killed. I still passed information to the Order, I sent anonymous letters to Remus Lupin.”

“Why didn’t you let us know?” asked Bill. “Why didn’t you send us a sign?”

“Because someone had to look out for us, for the Weasley family,” Percy told him.

~`~

Lucy’s Fyre was blowing up, which meant that James knew about Molly. She was sure that Roxanne or Freddie or both of them told him. James was the oldest, he was loud and annoying and Molly loved him, but Lucy couldn’t stand him at his best.

Lucy was sure that James just wanted details, why else would he want a cousin meeting.

“You have to go,” whispered Molly, the adults were all talking in whispers, ignoring the two of them.

Lucy sighed, but Molly was right, she had to go, set them all straight.

“How does he even know?” whispered Molly, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

“Uncle George told Uncle Ron, who definitely told Uncle Harry,” Lucy whispered back just as her Fyre buzzed in her hand again.

This time it was Roxanne, who was asking her if she needed a lift for later. Lucy answered quickly, then rested her head on top of Molly’s.

“What am I going to do in here without you for a whole year?” asked Molly as she played with the ends of Lucy’s hair. “You have to make sure you come visit me.”

“I’ll be here every weekend, every night if you want me to be,” Lucy told her sister, cuddling into Molly’s side. “I don’t care if they don’t let me either.”

“Professor Chang will understand,” said Molly, looking up at Lucy, “she’ll have to.”

“I hope so,” mumbled Lucy, she knew that Professor Chang didn’t care for her.

Professor Chang had made it abundantly clear that Lucy wasn’t her favorite student. Lucy still wasn’t sure how she was made Prefect, Professor Chang must not have been thinking straight when she made this decision.

Lucy had been sure that Molly would’ve been made Prefect as Professor Vissors loved her.

“I can write her,” offered Molly with a smile, Lucy rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure she’ll love that,” Lucy told her, as her Fyre buzzed once again, this time from Freddie.

“Don’t come every weekend,” said Molly, as she played with Lucy’s fingers. “We need time apart, we can write on the off weeks and talk in person on the others.”

Lucy stiffened, she had never gone a day without talking to Molly, even when they were fighting they still talked to one another. On their worst days and on their best they always talked, and the very thought of not doing so made Lucy want to cry.

“We have to concentrate on classes and homework Lucy, you won’t be able to do that if you’re coming and going every weekend,” reasoned Molly, and Lucy knew she was right.

“I’ll text you every night before bed,” Lucy offered, because if she couldn’t see her sister, this was the next best thing.

“And I’ll text you every morning,” said Molly, and to seal the deal she offered her pinky finger.

Lucy wrapped her own finger around Molly’s and they shook.  
  


“You have to go to the Quidditch games though,” said Molly and just like that, the pair of them were laughing.

~`~

Audrey sat on the loveseat in the tiny apartment she and Percy were still living in with Rory. Rory sat on the other side, with Audrey’s feet in his lap and a book in his hands. Audrey was going over the Minister’s schedule for the next month, they had a meeting and lunch with Professor McGonagall for the start of the new term and then a dinner with the Muggle Prime Minister and that was just the start of the month.

“Rey,” said Rory, putting his book down, “I’m moving back into mum and dad’s house when you and Percy leave.”

Audrey put down her scheduling book and looked at her little brother, there wasn’t much that was small about him anymore. He wasn’t the same scared kid anymore, he wasn’t sitting in the back seat of the car and crying as they drove away from their childhood home.

Rory was no longer her little kid brother, he was so much more than that.

Rory was an emergency room Healer who often volunteered in Muggle hospitals; he was kind and caring and braver than Audrey would ever be. Rory was amazing to Audrey and a support that she needed day after day during the war and after.

She knew that they would be going their separate ways eventually, but this felt too soon.

“Hey, don’t cry, Rey,” said Rory, leaning forward to brush the tears from her face. “I’ll be around all the time, don’t think of it as leaving; think of it as new opportunities for the both of us.”

“Can you reopen the stationary shop?” asked Audrey, reaching forward to hug him.

Rory smiled and kissed Audrey’s cheek. “I’ll try, no promises.”

Audrey smiled at him, “okay, that’s more than enough.”

~`~

Molly laid in her bed at St. Mungo’s, she had grown up in the children’s cancer ward. Six years she spent in a bed, away from her sister, her parents, her family.

“Hey Honeypot,” said a voice from the doorframe. Molly looked over at Uncle Rory, who stood in the door, leaning against the frame and smiling at her.

Molly had been Honeypot ever since she was born, Lucy was Little Bee; they were the pet names Uncle Rory gave them. Molly loved it, it was so sweet and warm and funny to her.

“Hi Uncle Rory,” said Molly, sitting up as he walked into the room. He sat in the empty chair beside her bed and crossed his legs.

“How you feeling?”

It was a loaded question and Molly really didn’t want to answer it. Lucy had called her an hour ago and filled her in on the cousin meeting, which hadn’t gone as well as Lucy wanted. Molly was already exhausted, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry.

“Molly love,” whispered Rory, and with that she broke.

“I’m so scared Uncle Rory,” Molly forced out as she began to cry. Molly hated breaking down, she felt weak and so, so scared. “I thought I was done, I just want to have a normal life.”

“It’s okay Honeypot,” said Rory, he moved from the seat in front of her, to the bed. He pulled her into his lap, just as he did when she was a little girl.

Molly remembered long nights spent sleeping in her Uncle Rory’s arms when her parents had to go home to Lucy. Uncle Rory was a Head Healer in the emergency room downstairs, and on all of his breaks he came to see her, whether she was awake or asleep.

Uncle Rory rubbed her back and rocked her in his arms. Molly was always happy to have these stolen moments, even if the cost didn’t seem worth it.

“When you get better, you and Lucy will have to come spend some time up at the house with me again,” Uncle Rory told her, and Molly could hear the warmness and the smile in his voice. “Liam was asking when the two of you would come back.”

Molly had six uncles on her father’s side, five brothers and a brother-in-law, while she had three uncles on her mother’s side, two brothers and one brother-in-law.

They all doted on her and Lucy, they were all warm and caring and the twins loved them all as much as they loved them.

“Uncle Liam can come visit,” Molly told him, but both of them knew that wasn’t going to happen. St. Mungo’s wasn’t very helpful to those with Muggle disabilities.

“We’ll have lunch, after your treatments are done,” said Uncle Rory, brushing away Molly’s tears.

“Okay,” agreed Molly, hugging him while he kissed her forehead.

~`~

Percy sat in the middle of one of the aisles, his bucket of rags and dirty water beside him. The store was finally clean. He was exhausted, but the shop was clean, no more dust, dirt, or grime. Hours spent cleaning were behind him, hours spent scrubbing the floors and wall were gone, hours organizing and taking stock were long gone. 

It was worth it.

Percy took a long shower, ate some lunch, and then put a ‘help wanted’ sign in the window. He wasn’t expecting much, Hogwarts started back up in a day or two.

But less than an hour later, the door was opening and people were coming in. Kids half his age were asking about the products, they were asking about owl order and how to smuggle products into school. Percy couldn’t answer all of their questions, but he could take their money and send them on their way.

It wasn’t until the last person left that night, that Percy realized he was happy.

He could do this, he could step up and help the shop, he could step into Fred’s shoes.

He just needed George.

He just needed his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, let me know what we think! Thank you for reading!!


	3. Autumn - September 1st

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Off to school, or maybe not...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, next chapter!! Yay!
> 
> As I'm sure everyone noticed, I am updating this fic every Thursday. I am moving in a few weeks so I might take that week off, I'll let you know later.

Part Two – Autumn

** Chapter Three: September 1st **

Lucy rolled her eyes at Molly who nodded at her in agreement, the wheelchair was more than overkill. Molly could walk easily, she was just a little tired from all of the tests that they were performing at St. Mungo’s.

Lucy pushed her trolley, while her dad pushed around Molly.

“Oh Percy, this is just dumb,” said Audrey as the four of them stood outside the barrier. “She can walk just fine.”

“Justin said that she needs to conserve her energy,” said Percy and Molly sighed.

“Can we not talk about this, _again_?” asked Molly, as she wheeled herself forward through the barrier.

Lucy leaned against the barrier and pulled her trolley through with her, before being quickly followed by her parents. This was the first year that she wasn’t looking forward to going back to school. Her parents arguing was making it even worse.

She should’ve taken Uncle George’s offer and came with them, Freddie and Roxanne weren’t even here yet.

September 1st was the only day that their mother was punctual, she normally ran about five minutes late behind everyone else. It was her only bad trait that Lucy knew of, and it was something that she had seemed to inherit.

Something both Lucy and Molly had inherited.

“Weasleys!” called a voice from down the platform, the four of them all turned their heads to see the Wood family.

Oliver Wood and Romulus Howell were their father’s best friends, they were also Molly’s godfathers; Lucy’s godparents were Uncle George and Aunt Angelina. Lucy and Molly were close to all of them, they were all family after all.

“Oliver!” said Percy waving over to his friend, and just like that all arguments and grievances were forgiven.

The family headed over to the Wood family, and Lucy was impressed that all of the Wood children were here. There were eight Wood children, ranging from the age of twenty-three to three, all of them just as Quidditch obsessed as their father.

Oliver shook Percy’s hand, kissed Audrey’s cheek, and then hugged both of the girls. Lucy squeezed him back just as hard, she remembered afternoons playing at Wood’s house, nights spent watching movies in elaborate blanket forts, and sitting in the Coach’s Box at Quidditch games. Oliver spent a lot of time helping her parents keep her distracted while Molly was sick.

Sometimes Lucy felt like her parents messed it up, they should’ve named Oliver and Romulus her godparents.

They spent a fair amount of time talking to the Wood family, as the platform started to become more and more crowded and the family started to show up. Lucy was passed by her friends and cousins, aunts and uncles who came to say goodbye and give her a hug.

Molly basked in the attention, she loved affection of any kind; she enjoyed people a lot more than Lucy did.

“You should get going Lucy,” whispered Molly as Lucy bent down to retie her shoes. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Lucy stood back up and looked at her sister, she didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to go for the first time since she was eleven. She didn’t want to go at all.

“Molly,” whispered Lucy looking at her sister. “I don’t want to go.”

Molly looked up at her sister and held her arms out, Lucy hugged her tightly. She would miss her sister so much, she didn’t want to leave her; she wanted to stay with Molly.

“You have to go,” whispered Molly and Lucy broke.

Lucy didn’t remember ever crying this hard before, she gripped Molly tightly; she didn’t want to go.

“Come on Lucy,” said a voice from behind her, “let’s go to the Prefects carriage.”

Lucy looked up at Katie Wood, the oldest of the Wood daughters and newly named Head Girl. “Bye Molly,” said Katie as she pulled Lucy away, “we’ll come visit soon.”

Lucy wiped at her eyes and let Katie lead her away.

She just didn’t want to go.

~`~

Percy stood in front of the Hogwarts Express, he hadn’t been here since he was in school himself. Audrey stood beside him, her hand in his. He was excited, _they_ were excited, their little girls, their adorable daughters, were off to school.

It was a dream come true for them, with Molly’s illness, they had been sure that she would never be here. They had been sure that she would never make it, that Lucy would be their only child to go to Hogwarts.

But they should’ve known, Molly beat the odds, she had every single time.

“Molly, Lucy,” called Audrey and both of the girls turned to them, they had ran off to talk to their cousins. “Come say goodbye.”

Lucy ran straight over, while Molly took her time, taking in the sights around her. Molly was still hungry for adventure, for other children, for friends her age and a life away from St. Mungo’s.

“Do we have to go?” asked Lucy, putting herself in Audrey’s arms. Audrey hugged her tightly and held her close.

“Of course you do,” said Audrey, taking a quick glance around the platform. “You’ll be together, don’t worry.”

“Okay, mum,” said Lucy as she came over to Percy. Molly finally joined them, letting Audrey hug and kiss her.

“Are you sure?” asked Molly, looking up at Percy.

Percy was a bit taken back, it was one thing for Lucy to ask to hang back, to wait. Molly though was something different, she was always ready for something new.

Percy looked down at his daughters, Lucy was tucked into his side, her arms around his waist, while Molly was wrapped up in Audrey’s arm, holding Audrey to her. Audrey looked over at him and looking at her, Percy could see every part of her that was reflected in their daughters.

“I promise that the two of you will have a good time,” Percy told his daughters, only to get frowns of disbelief. “I also promise that you’ll be incredibly homesick by the weekend.”

“But the two of you will have more fun and more excitement than you’ll ever imagine,” Audrey told them, reaching out to smooth down Lucy’s hair and to take Percy’s hand. “You never know what will happen at Hogwarts, but you have to take that leap, you have climb on the train.”

Lucy wrinkled her nose and Molly rolled her eyes, they had to know that this was true.

“If everything goes wrong, and it doesn’t work out, then we’ll come get you,” Percy told them, it was the same thing his parents had told him when he was eleven.

“Give it a month before you decided to come home,” Audrey told them, as she shared a smile with Percy.

“Okay,” said Molly, sharing a look with her sister. “I guess.”

“We love you both,” said Percy, bending down to kiss both of the girls foreheads.

“To the moon and back again,” said Audrey giving them both one last hug.

“Love you too, mummy, daddy,” whispered Lucy, then Molly even quieter than her sister.

Percy and Audrey stepped back to let the girls climb up on the train and wave to them as it pulled out of the station.

~`~

Molly felt cold as Lucy walked away, still crying. She wanted to jump out of her seat and run after her sister, run after her best friend.

She put her face into her hands and began to cry, because while this wasn’t their first school year apart, but it was their first Hogwarts year apart. She felt a hand on her arm, while another hugged her around her shoulders.

“Mummy I want to go,” Molly told her mother, not being able to hold back anymore.

“So do I,” whispered Audrey as she held Molly and wiped at her eyes. “I want you to go too.”

It was the complete opposite of when she was eleven, she and Lucy had decided that they didn’t want to go to school. They had wanted to run off and live with Uncle Rory and Uncle Liam.

Molly tucked her head in her mother’s neck until the train was completely gone. She couldn’t watch her friends, her family, her sister leave her. Not today.

“Shall we go?” asked Percy, and Molly wanted to start crying all over again.

She wanted to go so much, she wanted to run after the train and jump on. She would hide away at Hogwarts with only Lucy knowing where she was.

“I guess so,” said Audrey standing up and starting to roll Molly away from the platform. “Let’s go get some lunch.”

Molly looked back to where the train was just moments before, then she turned her head and looked forward.

She had to focus on getting better, then she would go back.

She would be back to school, back with Lucy soon enough.

~`~

Audrey glared at the calendar, today was September first, it was a long and tiresome day for her, had been since she was eleven. She spent the morning getting the Minister from meeting to meeting with different apartment heads, before she sent him off to dinner at Hogwarts.

Part of her wished that she returned for her seventh year. She wished it every year, every September first.

She took her escape a few minutes after Minister Shacklebolt left for Hogwarts. She was ready to go home and order take out and snuggle with Percy in bed.

Audrey flooed home to find Percy lying across the couch with his glasses slipping down his nose and his account books on his lap. He looked just as exhausted as Audrey felt and he placed his books on the floor beside him as Audrey kicked off her shoes and fell on top of him.

“I say Thai food then bed,” Audrey mumbled into his chest.

Percy laughed and Audrey felt him wrap his arms around her. He ran his hands up and down her back, making everything warm and relaxing.

“Or maybe the pub?” asked Percy, and Audrey sighed. Going to the Leaky Cauldron sounded better than take out Thai food.

Audrey picked up her head, only to push Percy’s glasses back up his nose. He wrinkled his nose as everything came back into focus, and Audrey giggled.

“I could go for a pint,” Audrey told him, and Percy smiled. “And a good burger.”

“It’s been a while,” said Percy as her grabbed her hand, Audrey was grateful for this.

They laid together for a few more minutes, Audrey tucked her head under his chin while Percy rubbed her back. Audrey didn’t like to think about their losses, she didn’t like to dwell in the past; she preferred to remember the good fondly.

“Come on,” said Audrey, climbing off of him, “let’s get going then.”

~`~

Lucy stared out the window, after the Prefects meeting, she walked down the halls until she found her cousins compartment. She tucked herself in between Dominique and Lily, she let the conversation move around her, and she would always be grateful that no one asked her about her red rimmed eyes.

They had had a conversation earlier in the day, away from their parents, about how they had to be strong. About how they had to let go and keep moving forward.

Lucy thought that it must be easy for Molly to say this, she wouldn’t be around the family or their friends.

They also made a plan for when Lucy would come to visit, the plan was for every other weekend and on the off weekends they would send letters. Lucy loved to send letters, she like the romantic notion of it, and she liked it better than making phone calls.

Lucy wasn’t allowed to come during Quidditch games, so those weekends she only came one day. She didn’t really enjoy watching Quidditch, she preferred flying herself, even though she would never be good enough to play.

Though if she was honest, she loved going to games, she loved the excitement of the crowd and their commentator was hilarious.

“Lucy do you want something?” asked Dominique as the trolley lade open their door.

“Just a pumpkin pasty,” Lucy told her handing her a few sickles.

The compartment grew quiet for the first time with everyone eating. Louis, Hugo, and Remus had a mound in front of them that the three of them were tackling together.

Lily put her head on Lucy’s shoulder and Lucy put her’s on Dominique’s. They were slightly off balanced without Molly, without their fourth person.

“Are you going this weekend?” asked Hugo, in between bites of apple turnover. “To see Molly?”

“Next weekend,” Lucy told him, all of them.

Today was Wednesday, she had about a week and a half before she would see Molly again.

Ten days was a long time.

~`~

Percy and Audrey left the platform without their daughters. There was a part of him that felt cold and sad, but he was more proud than anything. After they lost Luke, and then after they found out Molly was sick, he thought that only one of his children would ever go to Hogwarts.

He always knew that Lucy would go to school, but it was always the thought that she would go alone.

“Let’s go get some lunch,” said Audrey as they walked through the barrier for the platform.

“I’m going to miss them,” said Percy as they made their way through the train station. “I almost agreed with them when they asked to stay.”

“Me too,” whispered Audrey, wiping at her eyes. “I’m going to miss them so much. Even if it was a pain to get them up in the mornings.”

“I think getting their hair done was even harder,” Percy told her, just the thought of brushing and braiding and getting his daughters hair ready for school was making his head spin.

“I think I’m going to miss hearing them laugh just down the hall from us,” Audrey told him, “or hearing them interrupt each other to tell us about their day.”

“We should’ve put them into different classes when we had the chance,” said Percy with a laugh, but he knew that that was what they wanted.

Molly’s first ever day at school had been two years ago, they felt that it was only right to have Lucy at her side. At the very least they could always have each other.

“They’re going to be in different houses,” said Audrey, “Lucas and I were, and we were just as close as the pair of them.”

“Fred and George weren’t.”

“They’re not your brothers though.”

“It all depends on where Lucy goes,” said Percy, and he knew if she didn’t get Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, then they wouldn’t be together.

Audrey stopped beside their car and turned to Percy, because they both knew that this was the truth. Depending on where Lucy was sorted, that was where their daughters would be, or not be.

~`~

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_Hogwarts is amazing! We didn’t think that we would end up loving it here, but it’s wonderful here!_

_Molly is in Hufflepuff, and I got Ravenclaw, just like mum and Uncle Lucas. We always thought that we would be together, but we have a bunch of classes together along with Dominique. Dominique is in Gryffindor also._

_Classes are great already, I thought that we would have an upper hand, but I’ve never seen anyone turn a matchstick into a needle before. Molly has already mastered the skill, but I’m still having issues with it._

_I miss you both so much, we both do. Daddy you were right about us being homesick quickly._

_I don’t think we want to come home though._

_We love you so much, to the moon and back,_

_Love Lucy and Molly_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	4. Autumn - October 30th/31st

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween!!

** Chapter Four: October 30th/31st **

Molly tied a bandana around her head, her hair hadn’t fallen out yet, but she was always prepared. She remembered the first time her hair grew longer than two inches, she had been so happy. After that she left her bandanas and hats at home.

She changed out of her pajamas and into some clean clothes. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, then she pulled out Lucy’s last letter.

_Dear Molly,_

_This last week has been crazy, Dominique broke her record and already has had eight detentions. James and Katie got into a fight about Prefects rounds. Then Professor Chang has decided that all the Ravenclaw Prefects need to sign up for tutoring._

_I know you’ve been getting homework, but the classes are even worse. Even Professor Longbottom’s classes have been rough. I wish you were here, I miss your commentary; class isn’t the same without it._

_I have to get going to Prefect rounds with Devon, love you to the moon,_

_Lucy_

_P.S. Next week we’ll talk more and I’ll help you do your hair for Halloween._

Molly set the letter down, normally Lucy wrote long winding letters that went on forever and ever. It was weird to get such a watered down version of the week, but Lucy would fill her in later.

She looked up at a knock on the door, in came a Junior Healer with her breakfast and her morning potions. Molly was over the hard pancakes and rubbery eggs, she wanted bacon and French toast or even her dad’s oatmeal. She wanted something tasty and warm and delicious, not the cold gross food they’ve been giving her.

Molly smiled and took her potion then picked at her food. She should’ve written to Lucy and asked her to raid the kitchens for her favorite blueberry hand pies and pumpkin cinnamon rolls. She would’ve even taken toast that didn’t taste like cardboard.

She laid back in her bed and stared at the ceiling, she was already bored with St. Mungo’s. She wasn’t allowed to leave her ward, not even to go look at the newborns. She had already done all of her homework for the week, even her polyjuice potion essay.

She liked the others on her ward, but there weren’t many of them in the ‘teen’ ward. Almost all of them had family or friends that came around every weekend on clockwork. She was the only one who didn’t.

Hugo had come around three weeks ago, Louis two weeks before that, and Rose last week. Dominique was coming next week, and Freddie two weeks after.

She knew that Lucy didn’t know about this, as they were all coming on her off weekends. She didn’t know who had made this schedule or why, but she was happy for the company.

They all came on Sunday though, Lucy would stay from Saturday morning until Sunday evening.

The pair of them had been worried that Professor Chang wouldn’t allow her to come every other weekend, but Professor Chang seemed to understand how important this was to the pair of them.

“You’re not actually eating that are you?” asked Lucy and Molly just about fell out of bed in a rush to hug her sister.

“Oh I’ve missed you,” said Molly as she hugged Lucy. Lucy hugged her back just as tightly, and then she pulled away.

“I’m early so I got us some apple and pear turnovers from the bakery in Hogsmeade,” Lucy told her as the pair of them sat down on the bed.

The Magic Mischief Bakery was a tradition for them, every Hogsmeade weekend since they could go, it was where they went for breakfast. They had the best turnovers that either of them had, and turnovers were Lucy’s favorite.

“I got some cookies for later and some razzleberry hand pies for you to keep, they didn’t have any plain blueberry one,” said Lucy as she pulled the bakery bags out of her messenger pack.

Molly hugged her sister, Lucy knew her so well.

“Are you going to the party tomorrow?” asked Molly, knowing that she would have to call up James if Lucy told her no.

“Don’t worry, Dominique won’t let me get out of this,” Lucy told her, and Molly smiled, this is what she wanted to hear.

“Good, you should be going anyways, it’ll be fun,” said Molly as she ate her turnover.

Lucy sighed and Molly wrapped her arm around her sister’s shoulders. She wished that she could be the one that pushed Lucy to do things, not Dominique or Rose or James.

“Molly can I tell you something?” asked Lucy as she laid back on Molly’s bed. Molly laid back too and the pair of them stared at the ceiling.

At home, whenever they needed to share secrets or talk, they would climb into Lucy’s bed and hide under the covers together. They normally ended up falling asleep, but the rule was always the same, tell no one.

“Tell me,” whispered Molly, grabbing the blanket she took off of Lucy’s bed before she came to St. Mungo’s and throwing it over the pair of them.

“I have a crush on Devon Jordan,” whispered Lucy, and Molly wanted to scream in excitement.

~`~

Audrey hated packing, she hated the process of boxing up everything only to take it all back out. But it was time for change, every part of her was ready for more, the proof was starting to poke out of her stomach.

She was just under twenty weeks along, and she had to admit that she was excited, they both were.

Audrey was grateful that the Minister allowed her the weekend off to move into their new house, new home. George gave Percy the weekend off, and was planning on coming around later to help them.

Almost all of the Weasley’s were helping them, whether it was with the packing and unpacking, helping set up rooms in the house, or just bring around food to help feed everyone. Either way, Audrey was more than happy for the help.

“Love, don’t lift that,” said Percy as Audrey picked up the box she packed her sewing machine in.

“Percy, everything has a lightweight charm on it, I’ll be fine,” Audrey assured him as he took the box from her.

Audrey rolled her eyes, but allowed him to take control. Percy thrived with organization, he was good at taking control and getting things done just how he wanted. The only thing standing in his way, was his brothers.

Audrey had come to the conclusion after meeting Bill Weasley that he liked having control and he enjoyed being the oldest of his siblings. There was nothing wrong with this, just that Percy and Bill were bound to butt heads over this. Charlie was the middle ground between them, but Audrey could see why he choose to live with dragons in Romania, the dragons were better tamed than Bill and Percy together.

Audrey looked around her old bedroom, Percy had just taken the last box, and now that it was empty she saw how small it was. The whole flat was tiny with nothing in it.

The flat that had been her and Rory’s home for the last six and a half years.

“Audrey, we need to give Mr. O’Neal our keys,” said Rory, popping his head into her room.

She reached out for him and he hugged her, holding her close. This was a big change for the both of them, Audrey had thought that she wouldn’t be able to live without Lucas beside her. The truth was, she could live without him, but if she lost Rory too, her life wouldn’t have been worth living.

“I’m going to miss you,” whispered Rory, still holding her close to him. “It’s going to be really hard not seeing you every day.”

Audrey didn’t want to think about it, because even though their schedules didn’t ever match up, they still made time every day for each other. It was how they spent their lives together, had for the last few years.

“You can come visit at any time, rain or shine, even at work, I promise,” Audrey told him, as she pulled away. She didn’t know when it happened, but he was now taller than Lucas had been, than their father had been.

“You too Rey, don’t forget.”

Rory allowed her to kiss his cheek, before the pair of them met up with Percy and Mr. O’Neal at the door. They were saying goodbye to their old life, to just surviving after the war and now they were on their way to living.

~`~

Lucy curled up in front of the telly with her homework laid out in front of her. Molly propped up against her side, staring at the screen in front of them. They were watching a bad Halloween movie that one of the other patients had left on.

They had spent their morning catching up on all of the Hogwarts gossip and news, along with the St. Mungo’s gossip. Lucy had even told Molly of her small crush on Devon Jordan.

Small was subjective if she was being honest.

“Let’s get some dinner,” said Molly, tugging on Lucy’s shirt. Lucy sighed and pulled away from her.

“I’m almost done with this essay,” Lucy told her, as she tried to finish up her conclusion. This polyjuice potion essay was going to be the death of her.

“Fine,” said Molly turning back to the movie. Lucy rolled her eyes, she understood her sister’s annoyance, but Lucy had her classes and Prefects duties during the week, Molly knew that the weekend was homework time.

Normally, Lucy, Molly, Dominique and a few of the others in their year would get together on Sunday afternoons to do homework in the library or Great Hall. They were their own study group, this year though, everyone was straying off, preparing for their OWLs in June.

Lucy and Molly already knew what they wanted to do, they wanted to open up their own clothing bouquet in Diagon Alley. It had been a dream of theirs since they were little, their mum had taught them how to sew and knit and create during the hours they spent in Molly’s bed at St. Mungo’s.

“Okay, I’m all done,” said Lucy, waving her hands over her parchment to dry the ink.

“Let’s go see Romulus,” said Molly, helping Lucy dry her ink.

“That sounds good,” said Lucy, already she was excited. Molly wasn’t allowed to leave St. Mungo’s without a family member, she wasn’t allowed to even leave the ward without someone with her. It hadn’t been like that when Molly was in the children’s ward, but the rules were different in the teen ward.

They dropped off Lucy’s homework at Molly’s room and got their bags before heading out into London. They took a quick ride on the underground and popped out not far from Diagon Alley. Before walking down to the Dragon’s Egg Inn.

For a Saturday night, it was quiet in the restaurant, Lucy had been here so many times she had the staple menu memorized. It was a beautiful night, warmer than usual for the end of October, but they decided to stay inside than go out on the patio.

“Your server will be right with you,” said the host as she gave Lucy and Molly their menus.

Lucy already knew what she wanted, but Molly opened her menu right away.

“Oh they have the squash soup again,” said Molly, and Lucy rolled her eyes, she wasn’t the biggest fan of butternut squash. “And the spicy pork.”

Lucy smiled, these Saturday night dinners were starting to become her favorite part of her visits. They were used to Sunday night dinners at the Burrow during the summer, and they usually ate dinner with their parents during the weekdays, but Saturdays were always a tossup. Sometimes they were at one of their aunts and uncles houses, or the Burrow, or at a friend’s house. They rarely ever did a dinner just for themselves.

“You’re just going to get the roasted chicken aren’t you?” said Molly and Lucy smiled.

“It’s my favorite, don’t make fun of me,” Lucy told her and Molly giggled.

“What a lucky night for me to see two of my favorite girls,” said a voice in front of the pair of them, they turned to see Romulus in front of them.

“Hi Romulus,” said Molly and Lucy, before giggling to themselves.

Romulus was more than used to the pair of them, he rolled his eyes before hugging them and joining them at their table. It was fun to catch up with him, as Lucy and Molly never got to see him during the school year and rarely during the summers.

Romulus was their father’s best friend and the girl’s saw him as another uncle.

“What are we having for dinner?” asked Romulus, as he peeked at the menu over Molly’s shoulder.

“The pork belly sounds really good,” said Molly, “with the roasted carrots.”

“And the roasted chicken for you Lucy,” said Romulus with a laugh, Lucy rolled her eyes.

“It’s my favorite and you only have it for the fall,” Lucy told him, she was starting to feel defensive now.

“I don’t blame you, it’s my favorite too,” Romulus told her with a sad smile. “It’s my mother’s recipe.”

The girls were quiet and Romulus smiled at the pair of them. They knew that his mother had been killed by Death Eaters when he was twenty years old, then shortly after he was attacked by Fenrir Greyback.

“I’m going to go put your food in,” said Romulus standing up, “I’ll come back around and check in on the two of you before you leave.”

“Thank you,” said both of the girls, before falling back into a fit of giggles.

~`~

Percy brushed out Lucy’s hair, it was still pretty short from when they shaved it off, but it was growing back quickly. Molly sat on her bed, right beside her sister, with her smiley face mask on. She was more prone to infection now that her chemo was done, but she wanted to go trick-or-treating.

Lucky for them, the ward was set up for the patients and their siblings to go trick-or-treating together. Audrey had made the girls matching costumes, just as she did every year.

Percy remembered their first Halloween, the girls were pumpkins and Audrey and him were farmers. They had sat on the front porch and handed out candy to all the kids that came to their door. The next year the girls were butterflies, then cats, this year they were witches.

They were the Muggle version of witches, with black dresses and pointy hats and the toy brooms Oliver got them for their birthday. Not completely Muggle, as they would hover a few inches above the ground all night.

Audrey came in with an overflowing bag on her shoulder and a smile on her face. Percy was amazed by her, even during this grim time in their life, she could still find joy.

“Everyone ready to go trick-or-treating?” asked Audrey and both of the girls ran to her.

“Me, me, me!” yelled the girls, grabbing at Audrey’s skirt and hands.

Audrey led the girls back to the bed and together Percy and Audrey got them changed and ready for a fun night. The two of them were all giggles as the four of them walked out into the ward.

Children were running around being chased by Junior Healers and parents. St. Mungo’s staff were walking around giving candy to children and playing games that were sitting out. It was more of a party than a traditional trick-or-treating set up.

Percy was fine with this, it was actually pretty easy to keep an eye on the girls in this set up. He grabbed a butterbeer for himself and Audrey, and they took a bag of candy from one of the staff members, then leaned up against a wall to hand out candy.

It was easy to keep track of the girls, Lucy’s red hair was an easy beacon. That and she and Molly were inseparable, they ran around hand in hand laughing and playing with the other children around them.

What really sadden Percy was that he didn’t see many other parents. He saw a lot of older siblings and teenagers, keeping an eye on their younger siblings and milling around the room.

“Next year we’ll take them out with their cousins,” Audrey whispered to Percy. “I know that we can’t promise it, but we’ll try.”

“It’s all we can ask for,” Percy told her, just as he bent down to pick up Molly and Lucy in his arms.

“Mummy, daddy, we got candy!” yelled Lucy, brandishing her little pumpkin pail.

“So did we,” said Audrey, holding up the bag that was given to them.

Audrey took Lucy from Percy and kissed her cheek, sometime in all of their running around, she had lost her hat. Percy wasn’t worried, they would find it later; Audrey had stitched the girl’s names into the brims. They had only been part of the ward for a few months, but the staff were already treating them like family.

Part of Percy was grateful for the sense of comradery, another part of him was upset; he didn’t want to be a part of this family. He wished that they didn’t have to become friends with the Junior Healers, mainly because he wished that Molly wasn’t sick.

He wished that he could raise his daughters together, not how they were. Not by running around sending Lucy to his parents, friends, and siblings while they had to take Molly to the Healers. He wished for Molly to be in preschool, learning and playing with other children who weren’t sick.

“Daddy, I’m tired,” mumbled Molly from his arms, and Percy tugged slightly on Audrey’s arm. He nodded back toward Molly’s room and she nodded.

“Lucy, honey, why don’t we go back to the room and read from our book?” Audrey asked their daughter.

“Okay mummy,” said Lucy, tucking her head in Audrey’s neck.

The four of them headed back to Molly’s bedroom, where they changed the girls into their pajamas and tucked them in. Percy sat in the seat by the bed, while Audrey made herself comfortable at the end of the bed, where she opened the Muggle fairytale book that she had been reading to them.

Molly was gone in minutes, wrapping one arm around her teddy bear and the other around Lucy. It took Lucy much longer, but she drifted away towards the end of the story, cuddling up against Molly.

“It’ll be better next year,” Percy told her, as Audrey wiped the tears away from his eyes. “I’ll make that promise.”

Audrey climbed into his lap and kissed him softly.

“I know.”

~`~

Molly watched as Lucy braided her own hair in the mirror, she didn’t really know how to do hair not having hair for a good portion of her life. Lucy and Dominique grew up doing the others hair, learning from Tante Fleur and Victoire and Roxanne.

At least Molly had helped her with something, James had sent her a letter with Hugo three weeks ago asking for a shirt with fireworks. The Halloween party was themed around lights, so she decided to call it _Light Up the Night_. The back of the shirt had the name in bright bold letters, while the front had an actually fireworks show. She was excited for James to send her a video with the shirts under the black lights he told her would be there.

She sent back her finished ideas with Rose last week and from what she understood James and Freddie had been handing them out all week to everyone who was invited. Lucy had brought her one, but Molly wasn’t sure that she was going to wear it.

It was one thing to be there, another to be stuck in St. Mungo’s.

“I’ll see you in two weeks,” said Lucy, hugging Molly tightly. “After the Quidditch game.”

“Don’t forget to pay attention,” said Molly as Lucy pulled away.

Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled nervously, which caused Molly to giggle. “Please don’t make fun of me.”

“Of course not, you’re my sister,” said Molly, squeezing Lucy’s arm and smiling at her. “I love you and I can’t wait to see you in two weeks.”

“I love you too, happy Halloween, Molly,” said Lucy before she turned to walk away.

Molly stood in her doorway and watched her sister leave, waving to her before she turned the corner.

Molly laid back down on her bed and wondered what she would do until Lucy or someone else came back around in the next two weeks. Sunday nights were always the worst nights of the week, usually her parents came around, but today was Nana Molly’s birthday, and they had made plans before she was sick.

Molly sat up at a knock on her door, and turned her head as Uncle Rory came in.

“Happy Halloween Molly, I didn’t miss Lucy did I?” he asked and Molly nodded before laying back down.

“She just left a few minutes ago, she’s going to the party tonight,” Molly told him, and she could feel tears prickling in her eyes. She didn’t want to be upset about not being at the stupid Halloween party, but the truth was she wanted to be there.

She wanted to be a normal teenager and not be stuck in a hospital.

“Do you want to come hand out candy at the trick-or-treating party in the children’s ward?” asked Uncle Rory, sitting in the chair by her bed.

“Am I allowed, they won’t let me leave the ward unless I’m with family,” Molly told him with a sigh. It really annoyed her, as one of the other girls in the ward was a Prefect and allowed to go wherever. She was an older Slytherin girl who Molly knew got into more trouble than Molly ever did.

“I’m family, aren’t I?”

Molly nodded and climbed out of bed, she didn’t really want to get dressed up, but she grabbed the shirt Lucy had left for her. “Okay, let’s go then.”

“Can you at least sound happy about it?” asked Uncle Rory as he wrapped an arm around Molly’s shoulder and led her down to the children’s ward.

It wasn’t the Halloween she wanted, but it was better than just sulking in her room.

~`~

Audrey walked through the house turning off lights as she went. She didn’t know how, but they were able to unpack and set up the whole house in one day. She knew it was because she had an army of Weasley’s to help.

Molly and Angelina had helped her set up the kitchen and the study. Percy had taken care of the living room and the bedroom with help from Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Fleur and Bill had started work on the nursery and their guest room. Charlie, George, Arthur, and Rory had help wherever they needed them.

Audrey had wished that her step-family, the Greengrass’ had been able to come, but Audrey knew that it was better for them to stay away until the next day. It wasn’t that the Weasley’s were at ends with the Greengrass family, it was just that she knew they wouldn’t approve of Astoria’s husband, Draco Malfoy, and she didn’t want to bring any strife in her new home.

She found Percy in their bedroom with a baby book in his lap, he was reading the baby books as if he was going to be tested on them. Audrey had yet to even crack one open, but she had been a lot more busy with her job than Percy currently was.

“Don’t worry, I got all the lights,” teased Audrey as she climbed in bed beside him. He put his book away and wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on her stomach.

“Sorry, I completely forgot about the lights, normally Rory always got them,” said Percy and Audrey sighed. “It’ll be weird without him.”

“You’re telling me,” said Audrey tucking her head under his chin. She yawned and put her hands over his.

She didn’t want to think about living without her younger brother, without either of her brothers.

“Was it hard when you first moved out?” Audrey asked him, remembering what he had told her about his time during the war.

“It was, but it was even harder to move back in,” Percy told her, which Audrey could easily believe. The way some of his siblings treated him she could understand how hard it was to live with them again. “There was a lot of mistrust, especially with Bill and Ron and Ginny. George was so wrapped up in his own head and Charlie knew everything, but you know how Charlie is.”

Audrey didn’t really know how Charlie was, but she knew that Percy and him got along extremely well. They wrote one another every other week and Percy was planning a trip for them to go visit Romania and the dragon reserve he worked on in the New Year.

George was the other of Percy’s siblings that he got along with extremely well, and Audrey also loved him. George was the only support Percy had in the family other than his parents. He stood up to his siblings about Percy’s involvement in the war, he stood beside him when no one believed him.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” Audrey told him, squeezing his hands. “It’s different now though. You have me now.”

“That’s all I need to hear,” Percy told her, before she picked up her head and kissed him.

“I love you, Percy.”

“And I love you Audrey.”


	5. Autumn - November 13th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quidditch weekend!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is our last autumn chapter, next up is Christmas and New Years! Yay!!

** Chapter Five: November 13th **

Lucy curled up in bed, she was tired and cold and just didn’t want to get up. She didn’t want to go out and freeze just to watch Quidditch, if anything she just wanted to go see Molly and gossip about her fellow Prefects. She wanted to crawl into a blanket fort and watch movies and do her hair. She wanted to sit by the fire and doodle dress designs until dinnertime.

Her fyre buzzed beside her head, she had called her mum last night before bed. She had questions about her mum’s last letter, Audrey hadn’t been clear about a few things.

At least, that was Lucy’s excuse.

She missed her family more this year than she had ever before, probably because she was without Molly. Their parents were giving them their privacy when Lucy came to visit Molly, just allowing them to have their own time.

Lucy curled tighter into herself as her dorm mates started to get up and get ready for the day. She heard the showers start running and music floating out from the bathroom. Someone started to sing along and Lucy put her pillow over her face.

Her fyre buzzed again.

It became obvious that she wasn’t going to go back to sleep, so Lucy checked her fyre.

_Molly:_ Good morning! Let me know if the ‘Puffs beat you <3

 _Molly:_ Lucy you good?

Lucy sent her back a quick good morning and told her that the Ravenclaws would kick the Hufflepuffs butts.

Lucy climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom. There were seven of them in their dorm, which meant that their bathroom got packed quickly. They had three showers and three toilets and three sinks and mirrors, which they all shared. Two weeks into their first year, they came up with a schedule and assigned mirrors and showers. Lucy was number seven, but she came to Hogwarts with a caddie and words of wisdom from Rose and Roxanne.

Lucy brushed her hair and braided it back before twisting it up into a bun. Then she washed her face and teeth before putting on a headband and her glasses.

Once she was done, she headed back to her trunk and pulled out one of her Nana Molly’s Christmas sweaters and a thick pair of leggings. She got dressed in her corner, and grabbed her favorite cloak, her hat, and her Ravenclaw scarf before walking down to the common room.

She found Louis sitting at a table looking out the window, he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts with no shoes, his usual. Lucy got cold just looking at him, but Louis was never affected by the weather.

“Are you coming to the game?” Lucy asked him, and Louis shook his head.

“It’s going to pour,” said Louis, and both of them looked at the dark sky. “I don’t want to get a cold.”

Lucy didn’t either, but Molly told her that she had to go. Molly told her that nothing was supposed to change this year, she had to do things as she normally would.

But if this year was like last year, then Lucy would meet Molly in the Great Hall before the game and they would eat breakfast and tease each other as they walked to the stadium. They would continue to tease each other throughout the whole game and then congratulate the winner and go to the after party for the winning team.

If everything was going to be normal, then Molly would be dressed in all yellow and Lucy in all blue, and they would get weird looks for sitting with Freddie and Roxanne and their Gryffindor cousins.

Lucy left Louis and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, she didn’t feel as if she could eat anything, but she had to try.

“Hey Lucy! Come sit with us!” called one of Lucy’s dorm mates, Mara Collins. Lucy got along with Mara pretty well, she sat with her in the classes she didn’t have with Dominique.

Lucy sat down across the table from Mara and grabbed a few pieces of toast to try to munch on. She poured herself a cup of tea and tried to listen to the conversation around her. Mara was arguing with Devon Jordan and Archie Harper about the odds of the days match.

“We will win Mara, Hufflepuff sucked last year,” said Archie, waving his fork around as he spoke. He did the same thing in class, waving whatever was in his hands to empathize his point.

“Not with our current lineup,” said Mara, as she scooped more oatmeal in to her bowl. “We have no backbone this year.”

“It’s not like we’re up against the Potters,” said Devon and Lucy turned her head at the sound of her cousins last name.

“I think we’ll win,” said Lucy quietly and Devon smiled at her.

“See Mara, the smartest person in our year thinks we’ll win,” said Devon, winking at Lucy before turning back to Mara. “Lucy’s going to be our good luck charm this year.”

“I wouldn’t say good luck,” said Archie, “isn’t her sister in St. Mungo’s?”

Lucy felt herself become cold, from her fingertips to her toes, she felt like ice. She wanted to run away, back up to her bed to go back to sleep and try the day over again.

“Lucy he didn’t mean that,” said Devon, glaring at Archie as Lucy stood up. “Don’t leave.”

“My sister has cancer, and the only reason why I’m not with her is because she wants me to be here,” Lucy told him, her hands shaking and her voice seconds away from breaking. She could already feel the tears in her eyes. “She wants me to enjoy my year here, but what she doesn’t seem to understand is that I would give anything to trade places with her.”

Lucy couldn’t stop herself from walking away, nor could she stop herself from crying. Devon caught up to her quickly just outside of the Great Hall. She didn’t want to be comforted by him, because he didn’t understand how Molly being sick was killing Lucy too.

But he was warm and he rubbed her back just like her father did whenever she cried. He whispered in her ear words of comfort like her mum. He held her, just like Molly always did.

“I’m so sorry Lucy,” whispered Devon, as Lucy pulled away from him. “Molly deserves better.”

Lucy wiped at her eyes and was happy that she hadn’t put on any makeup or face paint. She didn’t want blue smeared all over her hands, or her face if she was honest.

“Thank you,” whispered Lucy, still hearing the tremble in her voice. “I didn’t mean to get so upset.”

“It’s the weather,” said Devon, wrinkling his nose. “My mum always says that people get emotional in bad weather. Personally, I like it when it rains, it’s easier for me to collect my thoughts.”

“I used to get scared at the sound of thunder,” Lucy told him, “Molly would climb into bed with me and hold me until we both fell asleep.”

“Sounds like my sister,” said Devon, wiping away a stray tear that Lucy had missed. “Hey, why don’t you sit with me in the commentator’s box? I was going to let Archie, but I think you need some cheering up.”

Lucy looked up at him, Devon seemed to be really sorry about what Archie had said. Also, he had followed her all the way out to the Entrance Hall, he could’ve just let her go back to bed.

“Okay, thank you.”

Devon smiled and wrapped an arm around Lucy’s shoulders, leading her back into the Great Hall. She was happy that she had just been crying, as her face would’ve been just as red from blushing.

~`~

Percy was running late.

Percy was never late, even at times when he should’ve been.

But he was late today.

He was late to dinner with Audrey, it was the first time she was cooking in their new home. She was making Irish stew for him, from a recipe book that Rory gave her. The book had once belonged to their mother, and Audrey was making her mother’s favorite recipe.

He wanted to throw his messenger bag in a garbage can, but it had the shop books in it and he couldn’t risk losing them. George had told him to leave the books at home and enjoy his weekend away, but he and George were both going to be having babies just a few months into the New Year.

Angelina had found out she was pregnant with twins a few weeks after Audrey, then Ginny announced she was pregnant at her and Harry’s wedding in August.

His parents were overjoyed, they were getting four grandchildren within a month.

Percy turned the corner to his and Audrey’s street and just booked it. He was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago, he was sure that Audrey was worrying about him. The train had broken down on him and they had been stuck for forty minutes.

He planned on being home early to surprise her.

“Audrey!” called Percy breathlessly as he threw open the door. “I’m sorry I’m late, the train broke down!”

He kicked off his shoes, put his bag on the ground, and let his cloak fall to the floor. He would pick them up later, first thing first, he had to see his Audrey.

“Audrey!” called Percy, peeking into the living room, she wasn’t there. He was sure that he would’ve heard her upstairs, or in the kitchen. “Audrey?”

He walked into the dining room, and was hit by a dry, acrid, burnt smell. It was as if someone boiled socks, then let the water boil out.

He walked into the kitchen and felt himself fall apart. Audrey was laying on the ground, blood surrounding her.

Percy stepped over his wife, and emptied the contents of his stomach into the sink, before he bent down and scoop up Audrey in his arms.

He disapparated on the spot, hoping that there was still time to save Audrey’s life.

Percy was never late, but tonight was a different story.

~`~

Molly threw her textbook down on the floor, Lucy hadn’t texted her back yet. She wanted to know who won the Quidditch game, when Lucy was coming over, and who was the guy that had come in from Hogwarts about two hours ago?

She had been sitting in the main room when they brought him in. She couldn’t see him very well, but she saw the yellow and black rain soaked uniform. She knew that flying was a skill, but that flying in the rain was incredibly hard.

A whisper had gone through the ward that Hufflepuff lost after their Keeper was struck by lightning. But Molly didn’t know if she could believe that, she wanted to hear what happened from Lucy.

She checked her Fyre again, but Lucy still hadn’t texted her back. At this point, Molly wasn’t even sure she saw it. If Ravenclaw won, then she was probably celebrating. As much as Lucy liked to say she didn’t like or care for Quidditch, the first game of the year was always exciting.

Molly threw her Fyre down to the other side of the couch and bent down to pick up her textbook. She needed to finish her homework, she would call Lucy later and they would visit next week. It was probably a bit too much to ask Lucy to come on a Quidditch weekend.

After about twenty minutes, Molly couldn’t sit any longer. She was bored and no amount of homework or reading could keep her focus. She picked up her things and went back to her room, she took off her bandana and stared at her bald head in the mirror. Her hair had started to fall out about a week ago and Molly had gotten fed up and shaved it off the next day when her mother visited.

It was sad but also liberating to shave her hair off. Molly used to just let it fall out when she was younger, but waking up to a mouthful of hair wasn’t fun.

At least it cut her shower time in more than half.

Molly checked her Fyre again, to see that Lucy had finally texted her back.

_Lucy:_ I’m sorry that I haven’t gotten back to you, one of the Hufflepuff players got hit by lightning and fell out of the air. They’re rescheduling the game for two weeks from now. I’m going to come by next weekend.

 _Lucy:_ I love you, sorry I’m not coming around this weekend! I’ll write you in the morning with more details.

Molly sighed and sent back a quick message, at least Lucy was okay.

~`~

Audrey knew that she wasn’t pregnant anymore before she even opened her eyes. She hadn’t been feeling well all day and now she was in a hospital.

She had felt lightheaded, she had hoped that she was just hungry, but that wasn’t the case. Now she felt as if something was missing, her baby was missing.

“Audrey?” whispered Percy, as Audrey opened her eyes. He reached out to her, but she pulled into herself. She was tired and her whole body felt sore.

Audrey blinked at the bright lights in the room and tried to cover her face with her pillow. She wanted to be home, away from the bright white walls and floor and bed sheets.

“Audrey, it’s okay,” whispered Percy grabbing at her hands, and Audrey immediately pulled away. “I promise we’ll be okay.”

She broke down, she couldn’t help herself; she had lost their baby.

Three weeks ago they had found out that they we’re having a boy. Lucas Frederick Weasley. They were going to paint the nursery blue and Audrey had already started making baby clothes. They had bought a crib and baby furniture, and Audrey’s step-sisters and brother had started to plan a baby shower.

They were excited and happy, ready to be parents.

Audrey sobbed and curled into herself, she had wanted this baby.

“Audrey,” whispered Percy, and she could hear her own sobs echoed in his voice, “it’ll be okay.”

Audrey couldn’t bring herself to even touch her stomach, knowing that her son wouldn’t be in there anymore. She wanted nothing more than to feel him move or kick or roll over.

She hadn’t felt him move all day though, she figured he had been sleeping or had just calmed down. Never had she thought that this would happen, never in a million years.

She tucked her hands under her knees and tried to calm her own breathing. She was going to fall apart even more if she didn’t try to control herself.

“Audrey, please?” whispered Percy, pulling her pillow off her face. “Please say something to me?”

She couldn’t talk, she could barely breathe.

Percy’s eyes were rimmed in red and bloodshot, at some point he had taken off his glasses and put them in his front pocket. She could see that he had ran his hands threw his hair enough to make his curls stand up straight.

Audrey stared at him, he looked scared and sad and as disappointed as she was. There was blood all over his clothes and he wasn’t wearing shoes.

“Audrey,” whispered Percy, reaching forward to wipe away her tears. “I’m sorry.”

She nodded, and broke down as Percy brushed her hair out of her face.

~`~

Lucy sat down beside Devon and pulled her scarf tight around her neck and face. She was already cold and she hated being cold. She wrapped her arms around her sides and tried avoid looking up at the storm clouds.

Last week had been clear blue skies and sunny for the Gryffindor/Slytherin game. She knew that she should’ve just gone to St. Mungo’s to see Molly.

“This will be fun,” said Devon, as he pressed a button on the announcer’s booth and music began playing.

Lucy’s parents had told her that Quidditch games weren’t like this back when they were in school. That there was no music, and the announcer got into quite a bit of trouble for interjecting their own opinions. Devon was calm and level headed, keeping the energy high level, but under control.

Devon leaned forward and spoke into his microphone, but not before turning to Lucy to wink at her. “Welcome, welcome everyone to our second game of the year, Ravenclaw verse Hufflepuff!” said Devon with a smile. “I would like everyone to please put your hands together and welcome the teams to the field!”

Lucy smiled, all of her anger and tears gone, she tucked her hands into her pockets and watched as the teams soared around the stadium. The teams lined up, with Ravenclaws to the west and Hufflepuffs to the east. It would be easy to keep track of the Hufflepuff team once the rain started, with their bright yellow uniforms, at least in theory.

The game started quickly, with Ravenclaw taking an early lead. Then came in the rain. Lucy had put a water repellent charm on her glasses, so at least she could see. But it became clear very quickly that it didn’t make it easier to see what was going on.

Devon had whipped out a wide brim hat and kept talking, even when the wind started whistling so loud that Lucy could barely hear him. He was trying to keep the excitement up, but it was quickly becoming clear that there was no stopping this storm.

Ravenclaw’s lead started to dwindle in the storm, but Lucy could tell this was going to be a long one with no one seeing the snitch yet. The Hufflepuff team seemed to be doing well, though most of their success seemed to be coming from their Keeper, who was fending the goalposts well.

Until he was struck down by lightning.

Lucy had never seen anything like that, but Professor McGonagall had. She raised her wand and with deadly aim had slowed his descent.

“Call off the game,” Professor Longbottom told Devon, leaning forward from his seat behind them. “Tell everyone to go back to their common rooms and dorms.”

“Yes sir,” said Devon, his hand over the microphone.

Lucy grabbed Devon’s arm and after he gave the announcement they headed back to the castle with everyone else. They were beaten back by the rain and wind and Lucy wondered how anyone could fly in this weather.

They continued to walk arm and arm all the way to the common room, where Lucy answered the riddle and Devon boosted her in. The common room was somber and quiet, everyone was whispering about what happened during the game.

Lucy went up to her dorm and took a shower, none of her dorm mates were back in yet so she took her time. She pulled on a pair of pajama pants that had once belonged to Freddie or Louis and a tank top and sweater along with a pair of thick socks and her slippers before going down to the common room.

This seemed to be the same idea for everyone else.

Lucy found Louis still tucked away at his table by the window. He looked tired, but dry and warm still. Lucy was slightly jealous, but when Devon sat on her other side, her jealousy quickly vanished.

She couldn’t wait to tell Molly.

~`~

Percy sat on the floor in front of Audrey’s room. George was pacing in front of him while his family sat around him. Rory was sitting across the hall from him, also on the floor with charts sitting around him.

The Greengrass family was sitting beside his own, Astoria was shaking from where she was tucked in Draco Malfoy’s arms. Daphne was holding Blaise Zabini’s hand so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

Percy had never before been grateful to know Draco Malfoy or Blaise Zabini, they had been mean and cruel when Percy knew them in school. But just seeing how they were supporting the sisters that Audrey thought of as sisters was more than enough for him.

“I can’t take this anymore!” said Ginny, getting out of her seat and standing in front of Percy. George stopped his pacing to watch her.

Percy didn’t move, the only reason why he was sitting in front of the door was so his family wouldn’t go in there. Audrey had asked for her privacy, and Percy was going to give it to her until Healer MacMillan came out.

He had just lost his son.

“Ginny sit back down,” said George, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Percy what happened?” asked Ginny, looking down at him. “What happened to the baby?”

Percy took off his glasses and put them in his front pocket, the world went out of focus and it caused his head to swim more than it already was. Ginny looked scared, something he hadn’t seen since she was eleven.

“He’s gone,” Percy told her, and broke down. How could his family not understand how this was breaking him, how it almost killed Audrey.

“Percy,” said Ginny quietly, her hand on her stomach. “I’m so sorry, I thought that…that something…anything else happened.”

Percy couldn’t speak, how could he when every part of his being was falling apart? He was told that if Audrey hadn’t been found when she was, that she would’ve blead out. They had lost their son, and Audrey’s body had tried to cleanse itself of him.

“You need to be strong for her,” said Daphne, joining Ginny in front of Percy, “she needs you to hold yourself together because she’s going to fall apart.”

“Don’t tell him that,” said Astoria from her seat, “Audrey’s stronger than him.”

Percy knew this was true, but it was different hearing this from someone else. His family was quiet, they knew this was the truth, Audrey would always be more than him.

“Get out of here,” said Bill, standing in front of Astoria. “If you’re not going to support Percy then you’re not supporting Audrey.”

It was the first time that Bill stood up for Percy since before he went to Hogwarts. They would never get along, that was made clear years ago, but this support was more than he would ever ask for.

The door opened behind Percy.

~`~

Molly stared at her ceiling, after a horrible dinner and a few hours tossing and turning trying to fall asleep, she climbed out of bed and went back to the main common room. She couldn’t wait for Lucy to write her, she couldn’t focus on any homework, and she couldn’t stand to lay in her bed any longer.

Watching TV seemed the most logical choice, and it was late enough that she got her pick. It had been so long since she got to watch a show or movie without compromise. Molly always gave in to other whims, even when she knew she was right.

“Are you watching Dr. Who?” asked a voice from behind her, starling Molly.

“Yes,” said Molly turning her head and only catching yellow as he moved.

“I haven’t watched this in forever,” said the boy, and now that he was sitting, Molly could get a better look of him.

He was tall and lanky, with dark red hair and freckly pale skin. He was wearing a Hufflepuff shirt and jeans, he must’ve been the new guy.

“I’m Molly,” she told him, once a commercial came on the screen.

“Artie Jacobs,” he said holding his hand out to shake hers. “It’s nice to meet you, Molly.”

Molly smiled, then noticed the burns on his arm and neck. There was also a patch of bright white hair on the side of his head, right where the lightning struck him. It only took her a moment to realize that this was Artie Jacobs, the Hufflepuff Keeper.

“I heard you had a crazy game,” said Molly and he immediately pulled back his arm.

“It was intense, but I shouldn’t be here too long,” he told her, Molly nodded.

“Can’t say the same,” said Molly looking away from him.

“Why?”

“Because I’m in treatment for Leukemia, Artie.”


	6. Winter - December 24th/25th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas with the family for Molly and Lucy!  
> Percy and Audrey's first Christmas as a married couple, and figuring out their grief.

Part Three – Winter

** Chapter Six: December 24th/25th **

Audrey curled up in bed, she still didn’t feel right. No one seemed to understand how she felt about losing her son. She wanted him so much, wanted her son to live a happy and full life, she wanted her baby.

Percy pressed his forehead against hers and pulled her close to himself. She felt trapped and cold despite his warmth. He was trying to be strong for her, for both of them, but she didn’t want him to be.

She just wanted her Percy.

“We don’t have to go today,” whispered Percy and Audrey rolled over, away from him.

She had once loved Christmas more than her own birthday, more than any other holiday, and she had already been planning on what they would do next year for their first Christmas as a proper family. Percy didn’t know this, she hadn’t shared any of her ideas with him just yet, but in her desk at the Ministry was a notebook filled with ideas and baby names and lists of things to be done before he arrived.

“We should go,” whispered Audrey, feeling tears well up in her eyes. “It’s family.”

“Rory will understand, Audrey,” he told her, and Audrey pulled her knees to her chest.

“Stop doing this Percy,” mumbled Audrey, she loved him and she understood that he felt the need to be strong for her, for them, but she didn’t want that. “Stop saying whatever you think will make me happy.”

“I don’t want to go,” said Percy and they both felt a weight off of their shoulders. “I don’t want to go and pretend that everything’s okay because it’s not. I just want to stay in bed all day and order take out.”

Audrey rolled back over and looked at him, he looked so much younger without his glasses, more like Ron than Bill. She grabbed his face in her hands and leaned forward to kiss him.

“I love you Percy, but we need to go to your parent’s house tonight,” Audrey told him, and he sighed. “We can skive off tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, tomorrow is Christmas and we’ll do what we want. I’ll even order the take out,” said Audrey, and Percy laughed. It was the first time in over a month she heard him laugh or even crack a smile.

“I love you, Audrey.”

~`~

Lucy pulled her hair up into a high ponytail before putting on some eyeliner and mascara before her glasses. She was trying to be quiet so Molly could sleep in, she was out of the hospital for the time being, which mainly meant for the holidays.

“Who are you putting makeup on for?” asked Molly appearing in the mirror in front of Lucy. Lucy couldn’t help but note the dark bags under her eyes.

“Myself,” Lucy told her, which was only partially true.

They were having dinner at the Burrow tonight, and Lucy had heard from Freddie that Uncle George had invited the Jordan family to join them. They had been helping them around the shop as Molly and Lucy’s father couldn’t be there as much as he normally was.

Lucy knew that Devon was coming, but she wasn’t sure if his sisters were. Devon had three older sisters, Maria who was twenty, and the twins Cara and Evelynn who were eighteen. Devon’s sisters were all in committed relationships and Maria was married with a baby on the way.

“Liar,” said Molly teasingly as she went to their closet. Lucy turned and watched her pick through their shared clothes. Lucy could see how much weight Molly had lost over the last few months of treatment, she was tiny now. Molly was normally skinny, but she looked bone thin now, as if a gust of wind could knock her down.

Lucy was already dressed in her favorite blue sweater dress and a pair of leggings. She watched as Molly pulled out a sweater and leggings and then a tank top and a long sleeve shirt and tights and jeans. Lucy was brought back to when she and Molly were kids and their mother would dress them up in layers and layers.

Molly had trouble keeping her body temperature up and wearing layers were going to help her stay warm. Lucy turned away as Molly undressed and got dressed, she couldn’t look at Molly while she was so thin and weakened.

Lucy loved Molly, but it was hard to see her sister fall apart as she was. Molly was so strong and humble and happy all the time, but her cancer took all of that out of her. It was hard for Lucy to see her sister fall apart when she needed her, wanted her beside her.

“Girls! Are you ready?” called their mother before opening their door.

“Yes mum,” they both said, as Audrey leaned against the doorframe.

Lucy grabbed her overnight bag, then grabbed Molly’s before she could. She knew that Molly was going to be upset about it, but she didn’t care, she was going to make Molly’s life easier if she could. Molly didn’t argue though and Lucy was grateful.

It was the holidays, it was a time for helping others and celebrating life.

Lucy would take that sentiment to the end of the line.

~`~

Percy didn’t want to go to the Burrow for Christmas, not while he knew that George and Angelina and Harry and Ginny were going to be there. His parents went from expecting four grandchildren in the New Year to only three. The joy and light of the holidays wasn’t for him this year.

Normally he shined during the holidays, he loved Christmastime, spending time with his family and friends meant a lot to Percy. This was his and Audrey’s second Christmas together, and the difference from the first was night and day.

He came out of the bathroom to find Audrey standing in front of their closet. She was wearing just her underwear and was crying as she stared at dress she bought a few weeks ago to wear to dinner tonight.

He realized quickly that Audrey didn’t even notice him standing in the bathroom doorway. She had one hand over her mouth while the other rested on her flat stomach.

He wished once again that he could take her pain away, take away all of her sadness.

Years ago, Albus Dumbledore had pulled Percy aside after the third task of the Triwizard Tournament and told him to cut his ties with his family. He told him that Percy needed to distant himself from his family if he was going to keep them safe.

The problem was now that his family was safe, they weren’t safe from him. He was hurting Audrey over and over again, something he had promised to never do.

“Let’s stay home,” said Audrey, turning to look at him. “You didn’t want to go and I was going to force you. Let’s just stay in.”

“You wanted to go,” said Percy, though he wasn’t going to force her. “We don’t have to go to my parent’s house.”

“Where will we go? Rory is working and Daphne and Astoria are with their in-laws,” Audrey told him, taking a few steps backward towards their bed.

“If you could go anywhere tonight; where would that be?” asked Percy, going to her side and grabbing her hands in his.

“The Michael Street Pub,” Audrey told him, wiping at her eyes. “We would go there for Christmas Eve dinner every year.”

“Then let’s go,” said Percy, turning to the closet, “what do we have to lose?”

Audrey turned to him and he smiled, he genuinely smiled for the first time since _it_ happened. He felt his heart warm as she smiled back to him.

It wasn’t what they planned, but maybe that was how this was going to work from now on.

Percy was never impulsive, but Audrey was, she had picked up her brothers and herself in one night and disappeared from the Wizarding Community. Percy could never do that, he would never do that, but Audrey was stronger than him.

Astoria had been right.

~`~

Molly curled up on her spot on the couch, she was tucked in between Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry who were talking to Uncle Charlie. Her oldest cousin Victoire’s eighteen month old daughter Megan resting in her arms. She wanted nothing more than to be sitting by the fireplace with her cousins who were playing Exploding Snap and gossiping about the last few months at school.

Lucy was sitting with them, Devon Jordan on one side and their cousin Al on her other. Molly had once been paired up with Devon for a potions project, he was a nice and funny and just a bit too serious for Molly.

He was Prefect for Lucy.

Molly’s fyre buzzed at her side and she picked it up, careful to hide her screen from her uncles hawk eyes.

_Artie:_ Happy Christmas Molly!!

_Artie:_ I’m going home for a few days to spend with mum and Iggy

_Artie:_ Talk later, call me day after next?

Molly quickly typed out a quick message, wishing Artie a happy Christmas and letting him know that she would call him when she got the time.

Molly smiled to herself and tucked her face into Uncle Harry’s shoulder. Uncle Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kept her close. Megan shifted in her arms and smiled up at Molly, she was so cute and adorable.

She had yet to tell anyone about Artie, not even Lucy knew about him. It was the first time in a long time where Molly kept a secret from Lucy.

She just wanted to keep Artie to herself for just a bit longer, she was sure that no one could blame her for that. She didn’t blame Lucy for keeping her feelings about Devon to herself as long as she did.

“Molly,” said Uncle Charlie and Molly looked up at him. She didn’t get to see Uncle Charlie as much as she hoped to, with her at school –normally- and him in Romania on the dragon reserve. Lucy was much better at keeping in touch with the family than her. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come visit you yet. Things have been crazy at the reserve.”

“It’s okay Uncle Charlie,” Molly told him, because someone in the family had coordinated a visitor for her every weekend that Lucy didn’t visit. Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron had come to visit her the weekend before she came home for the holidays. They had played chess and Molly had asked them questions for her DADA essay on patronesses.

Molly always found her family to be a bit funny around each other. Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron were more than proof of this, they had been best friends since they were eleven years old and Molly thought they were very immature when they let themselves be. She loved them though, they reminded her a bit of her father with his closest friends, Romulus Howell and Oliver Wood, they were always a bit silly around each other.

“I’ll come around before I leave, Percy probably won’t let me leave anyways,” said Uncle Charlie with a smile. Molly loved his smile, you could see all of his laugh lines when he smiled and his eyes grew bright with happiness.

Molly smiled back, it was all she could ask for, and every visit she received was a gift in itself.

“Thank you Uncle Charlie,” said Molly, as Uncle Harry wrapped his arm a little tighter around her shoulders.

~`~

Audrey had a glass of wine for the first time since the end of May. She ate medium rare lamb with stewed cabbage and roasted potatoes. She felt warm for the first time since her miscarriage.

Percy sat across from her, eating oven smoked salmon with potato smash and pickled carrots. His plate looked prettier than hers, but hers tasted better.

“You look lovely Audrey,” said Percy, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. Audrey laced her fingers through his. “I’m happy we did this.”

“Me too,” said Audrey. “We can go to the Burrow tomorrow.”

“We don’t have to,” said Percy, they could keep that part of the plan in place. “Mum will send us our presents.”

“You need a new sweater,” Audrey told him, mainly because she wanted his old one. It was warm and soft and smelled just like him, everything that Audrey liked.

“I told you that what’s mine is yours, you sleep in it more than I’ve ever worn it,” Percy told her, and Audrey knew this was true, she just didn’t want to take what was made for him.

Audrey missed her life before the war. She missed her parents, her twin brother, and her home. She missed her parents shop, the tiny whole in the wall stationary shop. And she missed the two wedding dress shops on either side of her parents shop. The women who owned the shops had a feud with each other, but they both adored Audrey. They had taught her how to sew and how to hem and how to make clothes just the way she wanted.

Audrey had once dreamed of opening her own clothing store in Diagon Alley, but after Lucas died she went to the Ministry. She took the job that Percy left at the Ministry and that Lucas would’ve loved.

“Let’s go to church,” said Audrey, she knew that they were late to mass, but she didn’t care. “I haven’t been in years.”

“I’ve never been to church,” Percy told her, as their server dropped off their check.

“Mass will start in a few minutes,” said their server, “but I can take your card right away if you’d like. It’s only a short walk down to the corner.

“Thank you,” said Percy slipping a few bills into the checkbook. “Have a merry Christmas.”

“Thank you very much, have a good holiday.”

Audrey and Percy left the pub and headed down the familiar street to the church that Audrey was baptized in. She spent almost every holiday and every Sunday in that church growing up.

They snuck into the back, and Audrey held Percy’s arm as they stood and listened. Christmas was about hope to Audrey, along with family and friendship, she listened to the choir sing and was brought back to her childhood.

“When we have a child,” whispered Audrey, “I want them to join the choir and go to dance lessons like I used to.”

Percy turned to Audrey and she felt him wrap his arms tighter around her, “we have plenty of time to have a baby.”

“I just wanted to have our baby, Percy, we were ready,” Audrey told him, as she tucked her head under his chin.

“I know, but we’ll be okay until we’re ready to try again,” said Percy, and Audrey reached up on her toes to kiss him.

If her life had turned out differently, then this kiss, in this church, would’ve made them man and wife. But Audrey didn’t want that anymore, she wanted what she had right now.

~`~

Lucy woke up early, just as she did every Christmas morning. She climbed out of the bed she was sharing with Molly and stepped over her cousins sleeping on the floor. They had made a big blanket fort, but Lucy wasn’t a fan of sleeping on the floor.

She carefully and quietly opened the bedroom door and walked across the hall to the bathroom. Once she was done, she headed downstairs to the living room. She found Nana Molly sitting in her chair knitting. Lucy sat down on the couch and curled up in her pajamas.

She was wearing a sweater that Devon had left the night before. She had called him later that night and offered to send it with an owl, but Devon told her to hang onto it until he saw her next week. For a minute, she had forgotten that she had invited him to the New Year’s party that Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione hosted every year.

“Good morning dear,” said Nana Molly, pulling Lucy away from her thoughts of Devon. Lucy blushed but smiled at her grandmother.

“Morning Nana,” said Lucy climbing out of her seat to hug Nana Molly. “Happy Christmas.”

“And to you too,” said Nana Molly as she hugged Lucy back.

Lucy only had one set of grandparents, as her mother’s parents had been killed in the war. Nana Molly and Grandad Arthur had always been there for them, through everything.

Lucy sat back down in her seat, waiting for the family to wake up, but it didn’t take long before she was joined by her cousins. Then came her aunts and uncles in pairs, then finally Grandad Arthur and Molly.

Molly sat down beside Lucy, while James started to hand out presents. It was his job as being the oldest of them he was the first to read, and because he couldn’t sit still waiting for his presents.

Lucy and Molly always shared their presents, something that James called ‘unfair’ because that meant they got more. Lucy would point out to him that it was the same amount, they just shared, but she liked gloating over James for once.

He wasn’t exactly being the best cousin as of late, he had given Lucy a really dumb Prefects round schedule, but at least she had Devon to talk to. He also hadn’t gone to visit Molly like he told Lucy he would, he was claiming Head duties and Quidditch as more important.

Lucy smiled as James handed her and Molly a small stack of wrapped gifts, before she sorted them into two piles. One for her and one for Molly, it didn’t really matter the name on the tag, if one of them didn’t like their gift, then they would give it to the other.

They usually got a lot of new and second hand clothes, including hand-me-downs from Freddie, Roxanne, Rose, James, and Al. Which was more than fine for the pair of them, they knew how to hem and take in and repurpose clothes and material.

Then came the gifts that were a bit more specific for each of them. Lucy always got a few books, about Hogwarts’ history and the founding, it was one of her favorite subjects. While Molly always got different hobby crafts, lots of color by numbers and embroidery sets.

Molly never followed the numbers or designs, she always did something different that ended up looking better than the original.

This year was a little different though, her parents were preoccupied with Molly and her godparents were preoccupied with Molly and she was preoccupied with Molly. Lucy wasn’t upset to not get as many gifts as she did in the years before, she was upset that no one seemed to remember that she also deserved gifts.

Her cousins all came through, and a few of her aunts and uncles, and of course her grandparents, she received her Weasley sweater and a box of her Nana’s best fudge. But getting nothing from her parents, from Uncle George and Aunt Angelina, it all hurt.

Molly leaned forward and shoved a hat on top of Lucy’s head, it was the one Nana had been working on before they started opening presents. It was soft and warm and a little snug with all of Lucy’s hair.

But it was perfect, and just what Lucy needed.

“Happy Christmas Lucy,” whispered Molly as she hugged Lucy.

“Thank you Molly.”

~`~

Percy sat in front of the little tree he had brought home two weeks ago. He had thought that it would bring a little light to them even if they weren’t feeling the holiday spirit. He and Audrey had spent an hour that night sorting through ornaments to put on the tree. Most of them were old ornaments he had made growing up, while others had been bought by Audrey earlier in the day. They had a mix of old and new, and their tree looked beautiful.

Audrey sat beside him, her head resting on his shoulder as they handed the other the gift they picked out for them. Percy had found beautiful pearl earrings with a matching necklace, something that she had once mentioned in passing.

He watched as Audrey pulled off the wrapping paper in one tear before opening the box. She gasped, smiled, and then turned her head to kiss him. Despite all of their setbacks, this Christmas was shaping up to be a better one than the year before.

“Open yours,” said Audrey taking her head off of his shoulder and sitting on her knees. Percy laughed quietly to himself at the sight of her bouncing on her knees from excitement.

This is what Christmas morning was supposed to be.

Percy carefully unwrapped his present, it was a skill he had perfected just to annoy his siblings. Growing up they all took turns unwrapping their gifts, starting with the youngest with his parents going last. At least until they started having guests for the holidays and it became a bigger celebration than just the nine of them.

“Hurry up,” said Audrey, causing Percy to stop to watch her bounce with excitement.

When Percy had taken off all of the wrapping paper, he opened the small box Audrey had stored his present in. He lifted the lid and was surprised by the gift inside.

She had given him a watch, a beautiful gold watch with a dark face and white numbers and hands. Percy was taken back, he hadn’t expected her to ever get him something so extravagant.

“You don’t have one,” explained Audrey, “and I know you like to be early all the time, and that it’s a tradition in Wizarding Society to have a watch.”

“It’s tradition to receive a watch on your seventeenth birthday,” Percy told her, as he wiped at his eyes. “The one my parents gave me was destroyed at the end of the war.”

It had been smashed into the floor when the wall exploded beside him and Fred. That watch had belonged to his Uncle Ignatius who had passed when Percy was twelve. He had been his godfather and Percy’s favorite uncle.

“I can take it back if it’s too much,” said Audrey reaching forward to grab the watch.

Percy pulled it out of her reach. “No,” he said, a bit too loud, a bit too harsh, causing Audrey to wince. “I love it, I want to keep it. This is perfect.”

Audrey smiled and Percy leaned forward towards her, she returned his gesture and kissed him back. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him long after they broke off their kiss.

Audrey pulled his glasses off and held them in her hands while Percy buried his face into her hair. “Percy, I’ve decide something,” she said quietly as he held her.

“What’s that?” whispered Percy as she set his glasses down and shifted so she was hold his face in her hands.

“To wait.”

Percy looked at her, she was slightly out of focus without his glasses, but he could see all the freckles on her nose. She was so pretty with her dark hair down, sometimes Percy was still amazed she was his.

“For what?”

“For us to have a baby,” she told him as her hands locked together behind his neck. “Until we’re absolutely ready.”

“When will that be?” asked Percy, feeling anxious as he wasn’t sure he would ever truly be ready to be a father.

“We’ll know,” Audrey told him, “I know that for sure.”

Percy hoped so, at least, he hoped that Audrey did. He had been sure that he was ready to be a father when Audrey had told him six months ago that she was pregnant.

~`~

Molly sat in between Lucy and Dominique for dinner, her appetite came in waves and bursts of ravenousness. She was starving having taken a nap instead of eating lunch, she slept through most of the afternoon actually. All of her cousins and Lucy had gone out to have a snowball fight and play in the garden with each other.

She had wanted to go, but knew that the second she started to put her boots on, her parents would pulled her away. She would be told that she was too sick to go out and play, so it was easier to just sleep the afternoon away.

It was either that or listen to the uncles talk about Quidditch and their jobs, or sit on a chair in the kitchen and not be allowed to help with anything.

James threw a roll at her which she caught and began buttering liberally, while Lucy spooned a large serving of their mother’s braised cabbage. Molly and Lucy could eat the stuff for days, it was their favorite side dish that their mother made.

She sipped at her now cold hot chocolate, the best part of not going outside with her cousins was that at least she still got some of Aunt Hermione’s hot chocolate. Aunt Hermione wasn’t much of a cook, but she could make a good cup of hot chocolate.

Dinner was a loud affair anytime they were all together, their parents, aunts, and uncles were a loud group, add in all of the cousins, it became ridiculous. Molly loved it, but Christmas dinner was overbearing at times.

Molly and Lucy did as they always did, eating off of each other’s plate and whispering and giggling together. James was always in charge of passing the rolls, or more actuarially throwing rolls to people. Hugo made sure that food got passed up and down the table by constantly calling for something to be passed down to their end. Rose was always in charge of dessert, it was her specialty and she made it clear that no one had any until she was done eating.

Molly rested her head on Lucy’s shoulder and snagged a chicken leg on the platter that was being passed around. Rose was getting up to cut the pies and brownies and cake that she had made. Molly didn’t know how Rose found the time or the space to make her desserts, but they were delicious like always.

Lucy rested her head on top of Molly’s and took a plate from Rose that had two of her brownies, a piece of apple pie, and a piece of pumpkin pie. Lucy loved pumpkin while Molly loved apple, Rose of course knew this and always spoiled them with making it every year.

Dominique leaned over them and took a brownie off of their plate for herself. They were used to this also, Dominique was the third in their little group, and she was close enough to them to be their sister.

Not that Molly had seen her very much this year, she had visited once, but had written a few times. Molly wasn’t sure if Lucy was really hanging out with Dominique outside of classes, as she rarely talking about her if it didn’t involve a shared class.

Molly felt warm between Dominique and Lucy, and despite her earlier nap was already ready to go back to bed.

“I’m so tired,” said Lucy, with a yawn and just like that, the rest of their side of the table was yawning and talking about going to bed. Molly rested her head on Lucy’s shoulder in appreciation. Some things were unspoken between sisters.

Slowly, they all cleared out, rinsing off their plates and letting Nana Molly get the sponge and brush started on cleaning up. It was pretty easy as there were never any leftovers, Weasley’s knew how to attack a large meal.

Lucy and Molly curled up in front of the fireplace in the living room, and were quickly joined by their other cousins. Lily and Dominique sat on either side of them, while Freddie dealt out cards for another game of Exploding Snap. After that, their numbers started to dwindle, and Freddie changed their game to a Muggle card game.

Molly let herself be dealt out and instead watched Lucy as she beat Freddie and James and Rose hand after hand.

It was the perfect end to the holiday.

~`~

Audrey sat in between Percy and Fleur, she had regretted it within minutes. Fleur was being overly fragile with her, barely allowing Audrey to pass food up and down the table, while Percy was doing everything he could to not look at Angelina and Ginny, who were right next to him and across from them. Audrey had come to terms that she had miscarried their son, but she wasn’t going to avoid her sisters-in-law because they were still pregnant.

It wasn’t what would make her feel better.

Her talk with Percy that morning, and the realization that she could wait, that they would wait until they were ready made her feel more relaxed and happier. She would be okay, they both would.

Fleur reached across Audrey for more peas and Audrey pushed her chair out and picked up her plate. She couldn’t do this anymore, she wasn’t going to be treated like she could break at any moment.

She took her plate to the living room and sat down on the couch to eat by herself. Audrey really wasn’t one to be dramatic, but Percy’s family was driving her to the point of leaving.

“I em sorry,” said Fleur following after her. Audrey looked up from her plate in her lap to see Fleur standing in front of her. “Can I set?”

Audrey wanted to tell her no. She wanted to tell her to go back to the table, to her husband and child, to the family. But instead she moved over and let Fleur sit beside her.

Fleur sat down and Audrey turned back to her plate. She wasn’t very hungry anymore, but it was the perfect distraction.

“I lost a babee,” said Fleur quietly, “he would’ve been theree.”

Audrey put her fork down and looked up at Fleur, who had tears in her eyes and a hand on her stomach.

“I ’eemeber ‘ow ‘ard it was,” said Fleur as she wiped at her eyes, “e’ery year ‘is berthday passes and I can’t get out of ‘ed, I can’t move.”

“I’m sorry,” Audrey told her, and she was; she thought that no one else knew her pain, except for now. “I-“

“Et is okay,” said Fleur, as she put her hands back into her lap. “Et ‘as years ago.”

Audrey was quiet, because she could feel Fleur’s pain in her words. Three years Fleur had been holding onto this pain and she only now felt comfortable telling Audrey about her own experience.

“I know et ‘as been ‘ard,” whispered Fleur, reaching out to hold Audrey’s hand. “But we ‘ave to stay together.”

Audrey squeezed Fleur’s hand and for the first time since she married Percy, she felt as if she had a true ally in the Weasley family.


	7. Winter - January 1st

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Years Party at the Granger-Weasley house!

** Chapter Seven: January 1st **

Lucy sat with her feet hanging from the banister, watching the party from up above. It was officially the New Year and below her was her drunk family. Her parents were swaying together, her mother’s arms were wrapped around her father’s neck and Lucy could see that they were drunk and giggling together.

She wished that she had had someone to kiss at midnight, someone to hug when she was sad, and someone to take care of her when she was drunk.

She wanted what her parents had.

Lucy turned her head at the sound of a door opening and closing from down the hall. Hugo’s room had music blaring from inside. Molly was in there, along with Dominique, Hugo, Lily, and a bunch of their friends.

James, Roxanne, Freddie, Rose, Al, Scorpius, and all of their friends were all gone, they had snuck out hours ago. They had disappeared around nine and wouldn’t be back for another few hours, but Lucy didn’t worry about them.

The door to Hugo’s room opened and closed again, hitting Lucy with a blast of music. She was happy that Louis had thought ahead this year and volunteered to babysit his nephews and niece.

She looked back down at the adults downstairs, a few of them were still drinking and talking, but most were swaying to the music. Lucy leaned her head against the rail and watched as she heard voices behind her.

“Don’t be like this Devon,” said Dominique from behind Lucy, she would recognize her voice anywhere. “It was just a joke.”

“I just don’t think this will work out, Dominique,” said Devon and Lucy squeezed her eyes shut so as to not cry. This was the part where Dominique giggled and flirted her way back into a relationship only to break up with them in a few weeks anyways.

“C’mon Devon,” said Dominique with a giggle, “they laughed, they thought it was hilarious.”

“I didn’t though, and it was a joke at my expense Dominique,” Devon told her and Lucy felt herself begin to cry.

She felt unwanted tears come and not stop. She felt them continue to fall even after she stopped listening to the conversation behind her. They kept coming, and Lucy pulled herself in. She was the crier in between her and Molly, always had been, she had been the one that kept them up late at night when they were babies.

“Hey, Lucy, it’s okay,” said Devon as he sat beside her and pulled her into his arms. “Everything’s okay.”

Lucy pushed him away and wiped at her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked Dominique?”

“I don’t,” said Devon, looking ashamed. “She was doing me a favor, by pretending to fight with me… to make you jealous.”

Lucy felt sick, she hated confrontation of any kind, and now Devon was using it to make her jealous. Her nausea became real and without thinking she turned her head and threw up in Devon’s lap.

This was the worst New Year’s ever.

~`~

Percy sat down beside Audrey, baby Lucy in his arms. Lucy was the fussier of the twins, she liked to be held a certain way, she liked to be fed a certain way, and she liked to keep everyone awake if things didn’t go her way.

She was running them ragged, and Percy was exhausted, had been since they left for St. Mungo’s to have the twins.

“Give her here,” said Audrey holding her arms out to take their daughter. Percy handed her over and watched as Lucy stopped fussing in her arms.

“This isn’t fair,” said Percy as he watched Lucy be lulled to sleep in Audrey’s arms. “They love you more.”

“That’s not true Percy,” said Audrey, as she rested her head on his chest. “I know for a fact that Molly falls asleep in your arms more than she ever does in mine.”

“I just wish that I could take more time to be here with the three of you,” Percy told her as he lightly brushed Lucy’s hair out of her face.

“We do just fine,” Audrey told him, squeezing his knee, “and George needs your help at the shop.”

“I know, but I should’ve taken more time when he offered it. It’s not like we’re struggling or anything.”

George would never allow for them to struggle, when Audrey had told the Minister that she would not return to the Ministry after having the girls, Percy received a raise the next day. Audrey’s leaving of Ministry was a long time coming, having the girls was just the perfect time to make it happen.

She was still getting maternity pay too, even though if she had returned to the Ministry it would’ve been four months ago.

“None of that,” said Audrey, looking up at him. “I told you to go back to work, you were being driven crazy by them and I was being driven crazy by you.”

Percy knew this was true, once they had Molly and Lucy, Percy realized that he was much better at being an uncle. He was good at playing with the kids and holding them and telling funny stories, but the late night feedings and diaper changes and constant crying was not for him.

Audrey kept assuring him that he was doing a great job, but the truth was, he felt like he was failing them, all three of his girls.

“You know Percy,” said Audrey as she stood up to put Lucy to bed, “it is after midnight, maybe you should think of a New Year’s resolution while I put Lucy to bed.”

Percy watched her leave, his eyes trained on her small form. He was amazed by how well she took to caring for their daughters, better than any of his sisters-in-law, or even Ginny. All of them had asked for his mother’s help at some point, but not Audrey. She was calm and collected through every problem or issue they faced.

Amazed wasn’t the right word if he was honest, more like marveled. Audrey managed to take care of the girls, keep their home clean and well kept, do all the shopping and cooking, along with keep up on her other hobbies. The one day Percy had stayed home with the girls he was a mess, the house was in shambles, the girls were screaming, and he ended up in a ball on the floor crying.

He just didn’t know how she did it.

Audrey came back down and sat in his lap, his favorite place for her to be. She cuddled into his arms and tucked her head under his chin.

“Did you think of anything?” whispered Audrey, as Percy wrapped his arms around her waist.

“To try to be here more,” Percy told her, “to be there for the girls, for you, to be able to handle a day with Molly and Lucy and not in a ball on the floor.”

Audrey giggled, but Percy knew it wasn’t at his expense. “That’s really nice Percy.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to try to ask for help,” Audrey told him as she played with his fingers, the ring on his left hand. “To open myself up to taking a hand when I need it.”

“Sounds like we need to work a bit more together,” said Percy, resting his head back against Audrey’s.

“We’ll be okay,” said Audrey, with a small giggle, “everything works out in the end.”

Percy smiled, before tilling his head down to kiss Audrey. They were a bit late, but he also didn’t need a reason to kiss Audrey.

~`~

Molly stood in the doorway of the bathroom, watching Devon and Lucy talk as they sat together on the floor. She really didn’t understand how Lucy got stuck inside her own head. Devon obviously liked Lucy and Lucy obviously liked Devon, she didn’t see the problem.

The bathroom door opened behind her and Molly felt Dominique rest her head on Molly’s shoulder.

“Are they still just talking?” groaned Dominique, with an annoyed sigh.

“You know how Lucy is,” Molly whispered, and Dominique nodded on her shoulder.

“She just gets too caught up in herself,” said Dominique as Molly leaned back into her.

“Well they missed their excuse for a midnight kiss,” said Molly as her Fyre buzzed in her pocket.

“Who’s that?” asked Dominique as Molly pulled away from her.

“No one, tell me if something actually happens,” Molly told her, before quietly heading down the hall to Rose’s bedroom.

Rose had told everyone to not come in her room until she got back, but the best part about being cousins, was that Molly didn’t need to listen to her. Molly sat down on Rose’s bed and hugged her stuff dog to her chest, before checking her Fyre.

_Artie:_ I know it’s late, but Happy New Year!

 _Artie:_ Molly you there??

 _Molly:_ Yes! Thank you! The same to you!!

 _Artie:_ Almost thought you were going to leave me hanging… lol

 _Molly:_ Family party

 _Molly:_ I had to sneak off

 _Artie:_ Ugh, at least you got to leave for the festivities

 _Molly:_ Did your mum not come?

 _Artie:_ Mum and Iggy came round earlier

 _Artie:_ They’re not letting us do anything

 _Molly:_ That sucks

 _Molly:_ Haha, tell me something I don’t know

 _Artie:_ You’re right! See you soon?

 _Molly:_ Yeah, Happy New Years!

Molly smiled to herself, her and Artie’s friendship was definitely starting to become more of a flirt-ship. She really liked Artie, he was funny and cute and made her smile even when she was puking her guts out.

“What are you doing in here?”

Molly rolled her eyes and looked up at Rose who was hanging off of Scorpius. She could see that they were drunk and Molly really didn’t care if Rose was angry at her, she would forget it within the hour.

“Phone call, needed somewhere quiet,” Molly told her as she got off the bed and headed to the door.

“With who?” asked Rose as Molly closed the door behind her.

Rose didn’t need to know the details of her life, she didn’t care under any other circumstances.

Molly walked back down that hall and saw no Lucy or Devon, the music from Hugo’s room had quieted down too. She walked downstairs and saw all the adults were gone, but that didn’t stop her from climbing on the couch and drifting off.

Artie still on her mind.

~`~

Audrey held the small test in her hand, she had been in this position before, just a different table and different kitchen. She stared at the little pink plus sign, part of her wanting to erase the test and try again.

She wasn’t sure how she felt, it had been two years since she lost Lucas and she was afraid that she would lose this one to.

Audrey put a hand to her stomach, it felt different this time, she felt more pregnant that she had before. Not that that was a real thing, but she wasn’t quite sure how far along she was, she could be four months along for all she knew.

She wanted to be excited, but she was more scared than anything else. Scared she could lose the baby, and scared to lose Percy if she did.

Audrey stared at the positive pregnancy test and thought of her family. When she met Percy, no one had a child except for Bill and Fleur, who had little Victoire. Now there was James, Freddie and Roxanne, Rose, and little Albus. Astoria and Draco just had their first child, a little boy they named Scorpius, and she knew that Daphne and Blaise were trying to have a baby.

“Audrey!” called Percy as he walked downstairs.

“In the kitchen!” called Audrey as she sat up in her chair. They had got home late and gone straight to bed, having been invited and gone to a party that the Oliver and Katie Wood had hosted.

“Hey,” said Percy as he came round the corner then dipped down to kiss Audrey. “Let’s go get some food, I’m starving.”

Audrey wordlessly handed him the positive pregnancy test in response. She felt so out of herself and very emotional.

“We decided to try again,” whispered Percy as he slumped down in the chair beside Audrey. “It was a mutual decision.”

“I know,” said Audrey, her voice breaking as she began to sob. “I just can’t believe that-“

Audrey stopped talking as Percy picked her up in his arms and kissed her. It took her a moment while Percy wiped her face to realize that she was happy. These were happy tears for her and Percy.

“It’s okay,” whispered Percy, as he held her face in his hands. “We’ll be okay.”

“I know,” whispered Audrey, with a smile, “I’m happy for us.”

Percy let out a shaky laugh and kissed her forehead, “I was worried.”

“I’m not anymore,” Audrey told him, bringing one of his hands down to her stomach. She wasn’t sure how far along she was, or how far along she’ll get, but she knew that if she had Percy at her side, they would be okay.

“I love you,” whispered Percy as he rested his forehead against hers.

“I love you too,” she told him before leaning forward to kiss him.

~`~

Lucy felt her tears spill over all over again, this holiday was the worst. And now Devon was laughing at her.

“Stop it,” said Lucy as she cried, “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“It’s okay Lucy,” said Devon gently, “I know you didn’t mean it. I would rather on me than the carpet.”

Lucy would’ve rolled her eyes if she wasn’t crying, she always got this way when she drank. She was tired and gross and this night wasn’t going how she wanted.

“Alright,” said Devon, standing up and then scooping Lucy into his arms. He started walking the opposite way of Hugo and Rose’s bedrooms and towards Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron’s room. This room was off limits, but Devon didn’t care as he walked around the bed and into the bathroom.

Devon set her down on the sink and Lucy rinsed out her mouth while Devon cleaned himself up. Lucy felt more in control as she washed her face and cleared her head.

“You seem better,” said Devon and Lucy looked up at him.

“What did you do with your pants?” asked Lucy, trying to stop herself from giggling. It was a failed attempt, but Devon was smiling also.

“I’m not good with stains,” said Devon as Lucy jumped off of the counter.

“Give them here,” said Lucy, holding her hands out. She was well known in the family for being able to get out any stain in any fabric.

Devon handed over his pants and Lucy got to work, scrubbing them in the sink for a few minutes before handing them back. They were as good as new, well they would’ve been if they weren’t wet.

“Can I ask you something Lucy?”

Lucy turned to look at Devon, before handing him back his pants. As funny as it was to see him standing in just his boxers and t-shirt, Lucy felt bad. It was her fault that he was in this situation to begin with.

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“Why haven’t you asked me out on a date? Or to Hogsmeade?” he asked as he stepped towards her.

“Why haven’t you?” countered Lucy, because she knew why she didn’t. She wanted to use the easy excuse of worrying about Molly, her family making it hard to date, or the fact that she was sure that he didn’t like her like that. But she wasn’t a lair, it wasn’t how she was raised, so she avoided the question.

“I didn’t think that you liked me,” Devon told her, now he was just a step away from her.

Lucy closed the gap and grabbed his face in her hands, she _wasn’t_ this girl. She wasn’t one to be bold, be brave like this.

He helped her close the gap by leaning down to kiss her. Lucy closed her eyes after a moment and felt a wave of calm rush over her. She couldn’t focus on her heart beating out of her chest and the anxiety that always seemed to constrict her every move. This was a moment that she had been waiting months for, years if she was ever really honest.

It wasn’t her first kiss, but it was the first kiss that ever mattered to her.

Devon pulled away first and Lucy opened her eyes, staring up at him. He was smiling at her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. This was not how she imagined any of this, but it made it better somehow.

Maybe this wasn’t the worst day ever.

~`~

Percy woke up to the sound of crying from the baby monitor, one of the girls were awake. He was sure that it was Lucy, and he climbed out of bed as Audrey began to stir next to him. He needed to put his promise to action and he headed down the hall to the nursery.

He found Lucy sound asleep and Molly wailing. She was completely red and waving her arms in the air as she screamed. Molly rarely had a fit, but when she did, they lasted for a while.

Percy picked her up, making sure to grab her blanket as he did so. He held her against his chest, supporting her head and back, even though she was big enough to do it herself.

He quickly got into the step, pat, rock rhythm that he saw his mother use when soothing any of his nieces and nephews.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay Molly,” Percy whispered as she quieted in his arms, her screams turned it quiet little gasping sobs and Percy held her tight as she shivered in his arms. It had once amazed him how loud something so small could be, but he could remember when his parents brought home Ginny, and she was the loudest Weasley of them all.

“Shh, my love,” he whispered as her sobs quieted even more. He sat down in Audrey’s rocking chair and shifted her to hold her carefully in his arms. She stared up at him with his eyes and red hair, it was already starting to curl, whereas Lucy’s fell flat.

Molly eventually fell asleep as Percy rocked in the chair and tucked her blanket around her. He flicked his wand at the white noise machine that had been gift from Hermione and let the sound of ocean wave’s crash over the room.

He could feel himself start to drift as he rocked in time with the waves, he felt warm with Molly in his arms, and so, so tired.

The opening of the Hogsmeade branch couldn’t have happened at a worst time, George had pushed to have them open in time for the last Hogwarts visit. That had been three weeks after Molly and Lucy were born.

Percy understood how much this meant to George, but Audrey had needed his help at home and he was already doing George the favor of looking over the books on his paternity leave. But then Verity, there most trusted employee and manager quit on them, taking half of their staff with her.

She was going to be in charge of the Hogsmeade branch, but now they were without a manager and half of their staff. George went to the Hogsmeade branch, and Percy went to Diagon Alley, cutting his paternity leave early.

Audrey understood, she even helped pick up a few shifts when needed, but Percy had been looking forward to being off for the summer, as he and George had agreed.

They eventually got their staffing numbers back up and got a manager placed in Hogsmeade, but it took six months for them to get back up on their feet.

“Percy?”

Percy opened his eyes, everything was blurry until he pushed his glasses up his nose. He had drifted off with Molly in his arms, he was quiet as he stared around the room, before landing on Audrey and reaching out for her.

Audrey walked over to him and picked up Molly, holding her to her chest. Percy knew that she was waiting for him to move, it was breakfast time for the girls and Audrey liked to keep them on schedule as much as possible.

“Go back to bed,” said Audrey as she rubbed Percy’s shoulder with a free hand. “I’ll be back in a little bit, I just need to feed and change the girls.”

Percy climbed up out of the rocking chair and leaned forward to kiss Audrey’s forehead. He was amazed by her every day, her commitment and the love she gave to him, Molly, and Lucy was unmeasurable.

Instead of going to bed though, he stood in the doorway and watched her as she fed and rocked the girls, who were all smiles for her. He could understand why, he was always all smiles for Audrey too.

After, he helped her change their diapers, then finally headed back to bed with her.

“What if we had another baby?” asked Percy as Audrey laid her head on his chest. He played with her hair, twirling it around his fingers and rubbed her back.

“Don’t you think we have our hands full with the two we have now?” asked Audrey looking up at him.

Percy considered this, he never imagined having more than one or two children before now. He didn’t mind being an older brother, he loved his younger siblings, but he knew how difficult it was to be a younger sibling. He never wanted to put anyone in that position, but the thought of having another baby made him happy.

“We do,” said Percy, answering her question, “but I thought you wanted to have more.”

“I always thought that I would have three or four kids,” Audrey told him, “but I was always under the impression that you only wanted one or two.”

“I did, but things are different now,” said Percy, something they both knew was true.

They were different people than they were a month ago, let alone when they first met. Percy loved her, Audrey loved him, they were parents to six month twin girls.

“I want to have another baby,” said Audrey, picking her head up to look at him better. “I just don’t think I’m ready to be pregnant again.”

Percy nodded slowly, he hadn’t considered what their daughters’ pregnancy had done to Audrey. He had forgotten about the stress they both had and the changes her body went through to have Molly and Lucy.

“I want to enjoy them as they are now, not try to have more right away,” Audrey told him, reaching a hand forward to rub it against his cheek and chin. It was time to shave, but Audrey didn’t seem to mind the stubble. “Maybe in a year or two.”

Percy could wait, he _would_ wait. They were still young, happy, and healthy. And after losing their son, patience became more of a priority for him, he needed Audrey and rushing her would just cause him to lose her.

It was her choice anyways.

“Okay,” said Percy as she leaned forward, “I’m more than happy to wait, to revisit.”

Audrey kissed him and he felt complete.

~`~

Molly felt off when she woke up, she wasn’t sure if she was hungry or still tired or what was wrong. She felt cold, as she readjusted her hat and wrapped her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she shuffled into the kitchen. She wanted to go home, back to her bed with Lucy above her in the bunk bed.

She put the kettle on the stove, and went to get a mug out of the cupboard. She reached up into the cupboard beside the stove to where she knew Aunt Hermione always kept the tea. Aunt Hermione liked to always have tea in the house, which turned into her collecting tea of every kind.

Molly just wanted something to warm her up, she felt so cold and weighted down.

“Mornin’ Molly,” said a voice from behind her, and as Molly turned around, three things happened. First, she saw her cousin Freddie with his arm wrapped around LeeAnne Bell, one of Roxanne’s best friends. Second, the kettle went off with a loud scream, startling all three of them. And third, the mug in Molly’s hand crashed to floor, breaking into a million pieces, Molly falling right behind.


	8. Winter - February 20th

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a few weeks, I've been busy with getting a job and doing interviews and some personal stuff in my life. I will try to keep up with a posting schedule, and I'm sorry to anyone who has been waiting for the next chapter!
> 
> Thank you everyone for understanding,   
> Harry~

** Chapter Eight: February 20th **

Audrey pulled out her knitting as she waited. Percy was running late, more of George’s doing than his, but still annoying. She was meant to be back at the Ministry within the next twenty minutes, her lunch break was never long enough for these Healer visits.

She had taken up knitting during her first pregnancy, helping Molly make sweaters and hats and scarves for the family. She liked having something to do with her hands, something that she could bring with her to family events and to do during downtime in the office. It was also nice to be able to bond with Molly, even if it was only knitting.

“Audrey Phillips?”

Audrey looked up, standing in front of her was an old classmate and fellow Hufflepuff Justin Flinch-Fletchley. They had been close back at school, but then Audrey had gone into hiding with her brothers instead of returning for her seventh year, while Justin had returned as a part of Dumbledore’s Army. Audrey had grown distant from a lot of her old school friends when she ran, adding on the fact that she couldn’t return the year after the war to finish school, she pretty much cut herself off from anyone she went to school with.

“Hello Justin,” said Audrey, trying to put away her knitting and stand up at the same time. She didn’t even know why she tried to do this, she was so big that she could hardly get up without help.

“Don’t get up,” said Justin, sitting down in one of the chairs beside her. “I should’ve figured that it would’ve been a bit difficult.”  
  


“They really don’t make it easy,” Audrey told him as she rested a hand over her stomach.

“They?” asked Justin, and Audrey smiled.

“Twins,” Audrey told him, she didn’t even try to hide her excitement anymore when someone asked.

“Congratulations,” said Justin smiling back at her, and without thinking Audrey grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. They seemed to be most active during the late morning and early afternoon, then towards the end of the night. “Wow, their real kickers.”

“That’s what Rory always says,” Audrey told him as she gave him his hand back.

Justin continued to smile as he sat back in his seat. “How have things been for you, Audrey? You kind of disappeared off the face of the planet after the war.”

“Hard,” said Audrey, because there was no other way to describe it. “Rory and I lost Lucas, so I had to go to work so he could go back to school. I started up at the Ministry, and everything was okay for a while. You went back again right?”

“Yeah, I did,” said Justin, “it was so quiet without any of the girls.”

Audrey giggled, remembering how loud she and Hannah and Susan could get together. Justin and Ernie though, were much more dedicated to their studies than they were.

“It must have nice while you studied for the NEWTs.”

“I missed hearing you mumble to yourself anytime we wrote an essay,” said Justin and Audrey wanted to hug him.

“Minister Shacklebolt gets annoyed with it too,” Audrey told him, as he reached out and squeezed her hand.

“You’ve met him?” asked Justin, sounding impressed.

“I’ve been his personal secretary since about a year after, he plucked me out of sports and games,” explained Audrey, resting her hands over her stomach. “Went through four others before me.”

“Sounds like you do a good job,” said Justin, and Audrey laughed, both of them knowing that she wouldn’t have a job otherwise.

“Thank you, I always try to do my best.”

“Well it seems that things are going better than before, twins and a husband I assume?” asked Justin, Audrey nodded.

“I’m due at the end of June, and I’m actually a Weasley now,” Audrey told him, and watched as his eyes grew big.

“Which one? I went to Ron and Hermione’s, and I know Ginny married Harry, I know George got married right after the war, but that wasn’t you was it?”

“No,” said Audrey, as she spotted Percy coming down the hall behind Justin. She waved to him and watched as Justin turned his head to look.

“Sorry I’m late,” said Percy as he leaned down to kiss Audrey’s cheek, “George was running late.”

“Of course,” said Audrey rolling her eyes at her brother-in-law, as Percy helped her up.

“You don’t seem that upset,” said Percy as he turned to Justin, “hello, I’m Percy Weasley.”

“Healer Justin Finch-Fletchley,” said Justin, reaching out to shake Percy’s hand. “It’s nice to see Audrey in good hands.”

“Think you can tell my family that?” asked Percy and Audrey sighed, they were not going to have this conversation again.

“Justin it was great to see you again,” Audrey told him before Justin could response to Percy. “I promise to not drop off again.”

“Don’t worry about it,” whispered Justin as they hugged each other, “I’ll come round for a visit when these two decide to show up.”

“We’ll plan on it then,” said Audrey as she pulled away and took Percy’s hand.

They went their separate ways, Audrey and Percy into the office she had been sitting outside of, while Justin went further down the hall. It had nice to catch up with Justin, though as Audrey sat through her appointment, she realized that Justin didn’t tell her anything about himself.

She didn’t even know what ward he worked in.

~`~

Lucy walked down the corridor to the Hospital Wing, she wasn’t injured or sick, she couldn’t be to be able to see Molly, but she had something else to do. Ever since she started at Hogwarts she had made these monthly appointments.

“Hello Madam Li,” said Lucy as she walked into the Hospital Wing. She was more than familiar enough with the Hospital Wing, not just because of her monthly appointment, but also because her cousins were constantly hurting themselves playing Quidditch.

Or in Hugo’s case of just being himself.

Hugo had a weird talent of getting himself hurt just by walking in a straight line, he wasn’t clumsy; he just didn’t really notice anything around him. He was often tripping over things, forgetting that he was walking up or down stairs, or turning around and either hitting someone or something. He’s walked into suits of armor more than once and into wrong classrooms even more than that.

Whoever he had classes with was good at looping their arm through his and leading him along with them.

At least they got good at it after he fell down two flights of stairs and broke his arm at the beginning of his second year.

“Hello Miss Lucy,” said Madam Li as Lucy went to her favorite bed.

Lucy held out her arm as Madam Li sat down in front of her. She went through the usual instructions, relax, lay down, deep breath, and squeeze the ball every five seconds.

Beside her a bag began to fill up slowly with blood and what had once scared her, no longer fazed her at all. St. Mungo’s was always looking for blood donations, and Lucy had been giving as long as she could.

She put her headphones on and listened to calming music as on clockwork she squeezed the stress ball. Years ago, she had come down with a pattern, breath in breath out breath in breath out and squeeze the ball, then repeat for about eight minutes.

Madam Li always checked in on her every four minutes, as the second time she was almost always done. She loved knowing that her blood was going to someone in need, someone out there would be able to live longer because of this gift.

“This might pinch again,” said Madam Li as she held Lucy’s arm steady and pulled out the long needle. This was the only part that Lucy didn’t like, it was only a short sharp pain, but it left her numb for a moment afterwards, every time.

“Thank you Madam Li,” said Lucy as she pulled out her headphones, and Madam Li sat in the chair beside Lucy’s bed.

“How’s your sister been?” asked Madam Li as she bandage up Lucy’s arm.

“The second round has been really hard on her,” Lucy told her, “mum’s been staying with her almost every night. Dad’s only been to the shop once or twice a week, Uncle George is sending him the books by owl every night.”

“That sounds rough for all four of you,” said Madam Li and for a moment, Lucy could see a sadness in her eyes.

“It’s Molly though,” said Lucy as Madam Li finished wrapping her arm. “She’s always pretty positive.”

“Well I know myself and all of the others wish her a quick recovery,” said Madam Li as she stood up and took the bag of blood off of the hospital bed. “Now lay down until I come back with some food for you.”

Lucy did as she was told, laying on her back and relaxing into the bed. She pulled out her Fyre and saw that Devon had texted her, she ignored it and went back to her playlists. She and Molly shared a music account and almost every playlist was Molly’s. When Lucy was missing her more than anything, she put on the Sister Playlist.

It was a collaboration of all of their favorite songs, one from each band that they grew up on, one song for each of them. Lucy always skipped the first song, _Lullaby_ by The Cure, and went to _Everywhere_ by Fleetwood Mac. It always made her think of her parents.

Lucy stared up at the ceiling as song after song floated around her. Madam Li came back and set a tray of food in front of her with instructions to finish her plate.

She left when she was done, popping her head in to say thank you to Madam Li, before leaving the Hospital Wing. She would be back next month, as she always was.

~`~

Percy sat in an uncomfortable chair with Lucy asleep in his arms. Every time he tried to readjust his weight, Lucy would start to stir in his arms. She was still very much a fussy sleeper like when she was a newborn.

Audrey sat beside him, Molly sitting on her lap holding her yarn while she knitted. Percy wouldn’t say he was jealous, but he was uncomfortable.

He felt like they were always waiting now, waiting to hear from the Healers, waiting for the test results to come back, waiting for the Healers to set up a meeting, waiting again to hear from the Healers. He was sick of waiting, it was time he could spend playing in the yard with the girls, or sorting through all the new hire paperwork he had to go through, or just spending time with Audrey while they watched TV.

He was tired and uncomfortable and more than anything, he was scared.

He didn’t want to keep spending time in St. Mungo’s. As much as he knew the Healers were here to help, the thought of them poking and prodding the girls worried him.

It was one thing to have one sick child, but the thought that something was wrong with both of them was enough to scare him to death. He had to keep telling himself that they were both okay, but the bruises on Molly’s spine said otherwise.

Rory had found them, babysitting the girls for them one night. He got them both in the bath after a messy spaghetti dinner, and as he was rinsing the shampoo out of Molly’s hair he had seen the dark marks.

The bruises looked like a string of dots down her back and quickly others appeared on her arms and legs. At first they thought it was from roughhousing and playing, but Lucy didn’t have any.

It probably wasn’t the best way to judge if they were okay, but it worked. They reached every milestone within days of each other, Lucy talked first, Molly walked first, Lucy laughed first, and Molly smiled first. As soon as one did something, the other followed.

The door to the office opened behind Percy and he sat up quickly, jostling Lucy who opened her eyes and squeezed her arms tightly around his neck. Percy rubbed her back to not only calm her, but also himself.

“I am so sorry I’m late,” said Healer Justin Finch-Fletchley, as he threw himself into his chair behind the desk. “The lab was backed up this morning.”

Percy wanted to ask what he meant by ‘lab’, but Audrey was already telling him that they hadn’t been there long.

“I should’ve just allowed Jenna-Line to bring down the results,” said Justin as he shuffled a few papers around his desk into a neat pile.

“Justin, it’s fine,” said Audrey and Percy reached a hand out to squeeze her shoulder. He wanted to hold her hand, but Molly had put herself in her arms now that she put away her knitting.

“I really wish it was,” said Justin and Percy noted the sadness in his voice. He remembered meeting him a few years ago, when Audrey was still pregnant with the girls, Justin had seemed brighter then.

“What do you mean?” asked Percy, sitting up and jostling Lucy again, who just held on tighter. It was strange to him, but Molly and Lucy were a lot like Fred and George at this age, if something affected one of them, the other had the same reaction. Percy remembered when George had broken his arm when he was three and Fred had started crying and saying his arm hurt, even though Fred had been inside and George was out in the orchard with Charlie.

“Molly has Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia which is more commonly referred to as ALL,” said Justin and Percy felt his heart drop to the floor. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t hear, couldn’t see, everything was numb. His Molly, his baby girl, had _cancer_.

He hadn’t know what cancer was until a few years back, when Angelina’s father was diagnosed. She had given the family a little crash course on the disease, but Percy hadn’t worried about it, until Rory had pointed out the bruises.

Molly looked unaffected at the news of her diagnoses, instead reaching out to play with Audrey’s ponytail. Audrey though was holding Molly tightly in her arms and rocking back and forth slightly, as if calming her.

“We’ll start treatment right away, but we’ll have to do a few more tests and she’ll need surgery to get a port in,” said Justin, but Percy couldn’t concentrate anymore. He couldn’t listen to someone tell him that his daughter needed to go through more hell than she already had.

The only thing that brought him back to the conversation, was Audrey.

“What about Lucy?” asked Audrey, still rocking to herself. “What will happen to her?”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Justin, sitting up even straighter than before.

“Does she also have Leukemia?” Percy could hear the slight hysteria in her voice, but he didn’t want to think about that.

“No, but she could be of great help,” said Justin, leaning forward now to look at Lucy in Percy’s arms. “She is a perfect match for Molly, she can donate blood and bone marrow.”

“No,” said Percy, it was bad enough that one of his daughters was in this situation, he wasn’t going to force the other into it. “We’ll see if anyone else can help before Lucy.”

“Percy,” said Audrey, and he turned to her, they only needed to share a single look before she nodded. Audrey understood where he was coming from, she had too.

“We should have the rest of the family tested anyways,” said Justin, writing something down on his papers. “It won’t hurt to have a backup plan.”

“Lucy won’t be a part of this,” Percy told him, and he felt Audrey reach out and touch his arm. “She’s here to support her sister, nothing more.”

It was the only way he could swing it, he loved his daughters, but he would never force them into this situation.

~`~

Molly slowly sat up and climbed out of bed, she was so tired and cold and her body ached. This second round of chemo was worse than anything, it was draining everything from her.

It was also taking a lot from her, her family wasn’t able to come visit her like before. She had a small list of names of people who could visit, mainly her parents, Lucy, and her Uncles George and Rory. She hadn’t heard from anyone else since she was rushed to St. Mungo’s on New Year’s Day.

Well, almost anyone, Freddie had kept up writing her, as his life was going up in flames. It turned out that LeeAnne was actually his girlfriend of three years and she was pregnant.

Molly was much more excited than Freddie seemed to be, but Molly loved children. She loved to babysit for Teddy and Annie’s three kids, and Victoire and SJ’s three kids. But she had to admit that it would be scary to be seventeen and to find out that your girlfriend was pregnant.

“What are you doing up sweetheart?” asked Audrey, as she came into the room with a tray of food. Molly sat back down on her bed and let Audrey give her the tray. She was pleasantly surprised to see scrambled eggs and toast and bacon. It was the most flavorful breakfast she had seen in the last month.

“I’m just going to throw it up later,” said Molly, but she tucked in, she would deal with the sickness later.

“Your chemo was rescheduled for tomorrow,” said Audrey, as she sat down beside Molly and took a bite of her toast, “they want to run a blood test today.”

Molly sighed and finished her breakfast before she spoke again. “I just want to go back to school.”

“I know, my love,” said Audrey as she wrapped her arm around Molly’s shoulders. “I want you to be back at school also.”

Molly curled into Audrey’s side, she was sick of all the tests and all the chemo and being stuck in her room all day.

“Mummy,” whispered Molly as she reached out to hold her free hand. “Can I go to the NICU today?”

Now that she was in her second round of chemo, Molly finally had the freedom she wanted. She was allowed to wander the halls like when she was a kid, the only issue being that she couldn’t go very far on her own. Last time she left the ward and went up to visit old Lockhart, she had to take two breaks on her way up to the fifth floor.

Her father had come and rescued her to bring her back down to the teen ward. She had slept for twelve hours after that excursion, but she had been happy to visit with the old fool of a man.

The NICU was only up a floor, and Molly had been plenty of times. The Junior Healers there allowed Molly to sit and watch the babies, sometimes even allowing her to hold them if their parents hadn’t been around in a few hours.

She only went on the weekends that Lucy couldn’t come out on. Which was starting to feel more often, she had come out last weekend, but only after her Hogsmeade date with Devon.

Lucy had told her all the details of their New Year’s Day kiss when Molly finally woke up late that night. She woke up to find Lucy at her bedside twisting her hair around her fingers over and over again, her worst stress habit. It was something that Lucy never noticed, she would twist her hair until it hurt, then move on to the next section.

“What if we just went down to see the newborns?” asked Audrey, as she pulled a hat down to Molly’s ears. It was yellow and black with a large bobble on top, knitting by Audrey herself. “I was told that the NICU was undergoing a severe cleaning.”

“Okay,” said Molly as Audrey stood up and took the plate from Molly.

Molly laid back down on her bed, while Audrey went to get her a wheelchair. When she returned, Audrey wheeled her down to the newborn room. Molly sat outside the window, looking in and pulled out her sketchbook. She was already thinking of something to make for LeeAnne and Freddie’s baby.

Audrey left her, dropping a kiss to her forehead and a whispered ‘I love you’, before leaving her. Molly wasn’t worried, she knew that her mum would be back to take her to her blood test. She had left her wrapped up in a thick blanket with plenty of snacks and her book bag filled with her textbooks and homework she needed to finish up.

Molly sat up slightly as a Junior Healer walked by, he looked familiar, not that Molly could quite put her finger on it.

“Miss Molly,” said a voice behind her, and Molly turned her head to see Healer Ernie MacMillan, an old friend of her mother’s. “Back again I see.”

“Hello Healer MacMillan,” said Molly, as Ernie walked towards her, like always she noticed the slight limp in his right leg, where it had been injured in the war. “How are you today?”

“Very well,” said Ernie, smiling down at Molly. “I have a few appointments this morning, including an ultrasound.”

“You sound excited,” noted Molly, she didn’t know Ernie very well, but she knew that he enjoyed his work. He had brought Molly and Lucy into the world and most of her cousins too.

“I like ultrasounds, it’s our first view of new life and every one of them is different,” explained Ernie, as he put a hand on a handle of Molly’s wheelchair. “You’re welcome to come to this one, I know the parents won’t mind.”

“Really?” asked Molly, turning away from the window in front of her to look up at Ernie.

“Yeah, I’ll come round and grab you before we begin,” said Ernie, before he said his goodbye and left Molly with her sketchbook.

At least she had something to look forward to.

~`~

Audrey rested her hands over her stomach, she was just shy of twenty-two weeks, and a bit passed her twenty week ultrasound. But Ernie understood that she and Percy had busy lives and jobs and that they had to force time into their schedules to make these appointments.

The nice thing was that Ernie was more than willing to stay late for them to make their appointments.

“Hello Audrey, Percy,” said Ernie as he kissed Audrey’s cheek and shook Percy’s hand. “How are we feeling today Audrey?”

“Good, we just saw Justin,” Audrey told him as Percy helped her into a chair.

Ernie rolled his eyes and sat down behind his desk, “I have no clue what he would be doing over here, his patients are much older.”

“What does he specialize in?” asked Audrey, she regretted not asking Justin himself.

“Oncology, mainly hematology,” said Ernie, almost waving it off. Audrey had no clue what either of those things were, and truthfully she hoped she never would. “Now let’s get back to what we’re here for, how have you been feeling Audrey?”

Audrey let herself relax, it had been hard in the last few weeks to do so, but Ernie had been assuring her that this pregnancy was going much better than her last already. Her blood work kept coming back positive and healthy, the twins were growing and moving more and more with each day, as they were supposed to, and she was pass the early miscarriage risk.

She wasn’t at complete ease yet, wouldn’t be until she held her babies in her arms for the first time. Percy though seemed to be reassured, and his optimism was keeping her happy.

“Alright,” said Ernie standing up and picking up his charts, “why don’t we go do the fun part.”  
  


Audrey and Percy followed after him as they left the office, Percy wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked. The twins were kicking up a storm as they walked down the hall to an exam room.

Ernie held the door open for them and Audrey let Percy help her up onto the table. It wasn’t that she couldn’t do it herself, it was more that her stomach was starting to cause a hindrance for her.

She knew she wasn’t that big yet, but everything felt different this time around. Instead of one, there were two, her body was growing and changing more every day that passed and as happy and excited she was to meet them, she was even more scared that she would lose them.

“Alright Audrey,” said Ernie as he grabbed a machine with a large screen, “you know the drill.”

Audrey pulled her shirt up over her stomach, then watched as Ernie spread a cold gelled potion over her stomach, before waving his wand. On the screen, appeared two fuzzy blobs. After a moment, the image became clearer and Audrey watched the babies on the screen in front of her.

She completely forgot where she was, keeping her eyes glued to the screen. One of them, baby A she would later be told was sucking their thumb, while the other, baby B was waving their hands. She felt Percy grab her hand in one of his and kiss her forehead, but otherwise she was only focused on the screen.

Then came the thudding noises, loud and clear coming from a small speaker beside the screen. Audrey squeezed Percy’s hand and took her eyes off the screen just to look up at him.

“This is amazing,” whispered Percy as he wiped at his eyes and leaned down to kiss Audrey.

Normally, Audrey would’ve been embarrassed by this full display of affection, but she remembered back when Ernie and Susan had dated for a brief spell in their fifth year. They used to snog just about anywhere they could, including the common room and during their library study groups.

Ernie cleared his throat and Percy pulled away, Audrey could see his ears already blending into his hair, but she just turned to look at Ernie. “Yes?”

Ernie chuckled to himself before gesturing to the screen, “would you like to know the genders?”

Audrey looked back at Percy, they had discussed finding out the gender or genders in passing, but never fully decided if they wanted to know.

“I don’t mind either way,” said Percy, as he threaded their fingers together, “so I’ll let you decide.”

“That’s not fair,” said Audrey, even though this is what Percy had said last time they had been in this situation.

She thought about it for a moment, they had found out the gender last time, more in a hope of being able to pin down the perfect name. This time though, it was going to be twice as hard, two babies, two names, twice as much preparations.

“Okay,” said Audrey, turning back to Ernie, “let us have it.”

Ernie smiled and looked at the screen, “twin girls, congratulations.”

~`~

Lucy walked into the library and headed to their usual table. Devon was already set up, with books and notes and his homework in front of him. Rose, Scorpius, Louis, and Dominique were all there too, but by the looks of it, Rose was the only one actually working.

Lucy could see Louis doodling, and the others were whispering together about the last Puddlemere United game. Puddlemere was the only team she could somewhat follow, mainly because of Oliver Wood.

“Thank Merlin you’re here,” said Rose as Lucy dropped down into a seat between her and Devon. “They haven’t stopped talking about the damn game from last night.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, she loved Rose, but sometimes she was a bit overdramatic.

“I’m not kidding, we got set up and Dominique started talking about the game,” whispered Rose as Lucy began taking out her homework. She had a lengthy charms essay she needed to write and was already in Professor Chang’s bad graces.

“Alright then,” said Lucy, she turned to Devon and Dominique. “Let’s get to it, my charms essay isn’t going to write itself.”

These seemed to be the magic words, as after that they got to work. Lucy even got Louis on track by reminding him of his herbology homework.

They had been going on for about hour, in which Lucy had Rose helping her revise her essay, when Freddie appeared.

“Lucy,” whispered Freddie, gesturing for her to follow after him. “Come on.”

Lucy got up and followed after him into the stacks, he wasn’t usually a part of their study group. All of Lucy’s Gryffindor cousins usually pushed everything to the last second and generally copied off of each other, except for Rose. She was always on top of her homework and always pushed everyone else to do their work.

Freddie was the one who usually included her, making the others come down to the library and invade her table. Lucy didn’t really mind, Freddie and the others were two years older than her and she would take advantage of learning what they were studying.

“What’s going on?” asked Lucy as Freddie pulled them deep into the maze of bookcases.

“LeeAnne is pregnant,” whispered Freddie and Lucy covered her mouth to muffle a scream. She loved children, she and Molly both did. The last time Lucy had visited, she had stopped by Teddy and Annabelle’s house to pick up their youngest daughter Eliza to bring along with her.

“Are you serious?” asked Lucy looking up at Freddie, he was almost a full foot taller than her, but Lucy never felt small around him. “When did you find out?”

“About a month ago,” Freddie told her, and Lucy watched his shoulders sag. He looked scared and defeated as he stood in front of her. She was used to him being tall and confident, a steady and unmovable force, he was the closest thing she had to an older brother.

“Thank you for telling me,” said Lucy, stepping forward to hug him. She felt him slowly wrap his arms around her and completely envelop her. Freddie always gave the best hugs, he was always warm, he always smelled faintly of lemons, and he always gave a part of himself with every hug.

It took Lucy a moment to realize that Freddie was crying, he held on to her tighter than before, and he was shaking in her arms.

“We’re having twins,” whispered Freddie, and Lucy tucked herself more into him. She didn’t understand how scary it was to be pregnant at seventeen, or to have your girlfriend tell you that she was pregnant, but Freddie was family, and Weasley’s didn’t turn their back on family.

“If you need anything,” Lucy told him, as she pulled away to look up at him. “I’m here for you Freddie.”

“Thank you,” said Freddie as he wiped at his eyes. “I’m going to need it, I have no idea what to do or how to go about this.”

“Neither do I,” said Lucy and Freddie cracked a smile. “But we are in the library, you could probably find some books to read about this.”

“I knew you would say that,” said Freddie, and Lucy hugged him again, tighter than before. She had to keep looking forward, it was what Molly would’ve wanted.

“Can you blame me?” asked Lucy as she gestured around them.

“No,” said Freddie as they walked back towards the table, “its what Molly said too.”

Lucy didn’t quite understand what he meant by that, but she could always ask her next weekend.

~`~

Percy picked at his food, he didn’t know if he would ever be hungry again. It seemed that Audrey was in the same position as him, sitting across from him, she wasn’t even hiding her full plate.

The girls were both eating, sharing off of one plate as they always did. Percy and Audrey had given up on separating them at meal times or at any time really, they were always together and always happy that way.

Even through all the tests and all the hospital visits, the girls were only upset when they were out of eyesight of each other. Percy couldn’t blame them, he was also upset when he was out of eyesight of them or Audrey.

Once the girls were done eating, cleaned up, then changed and put to bed, Percy sat down next to Audrey on the couch. He felt numb, his poor Molly was going to be filled with poison to try and kill off her sickness. He couldn’t do anything, as without the treatment she would die, but with the treatment, she ran the risk of dying later.

“What are we going to do?” whispered Audrey, speaking to him the first time since telling him dinner was ready. It had been a quiet dinner and a quiet day since they got home from St. Mungo’s.

Percy knew the answer, just as he knew that Audrey knew the answer, but the very thought scared him. This was worse than losing their son, then surviving the war, than when he asked Audrey out for the first time.

He was scared to lose his daughter, but even more scared of what this would do to his other daughter, to himself.

“We’re going to be at her side,” Percy told her, as he turned to look at her. He didn’t know when she started crying, or when he did, but at least they had each other to hold onto.

They really didn’t need words to fill the space between them, they never had. Percy was certain that Audrey could read his mind by now, she constantly proved it every day with the things she did for him. Even dinner tonight was one of his favorites, pork chops and mashed potatoes.

“I’ve never been this scared before Percy,” whispered Audrey as she tucked her head under his chin. “I don’t want to lose her too.”

Percy held her, she was so small in his arms, but always so warm. He loved her so much, and the thought of hurting her, of losing one of his three girls, was killing him inside.

“Hermione called earlier,” said Audrey and Percy let himself relax, family was simple to him, easy. “Wanted to know if we wanted to bring the girls over tomorrow for a playdate.”

“Sounds fun,” said Percy, though the thought of watching his nephew Hugo sounded like a full time job. “Are you taking them over?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know what we do now,” said Audrey as she played with his fingers. “What do we tell the family when we skip a holiday or birthday because we’re at St. Mungo’s? What do we do when we have to leave dinner early or not come at all because Molly’s in the hospital? How do we give them a life if one of them is stuck in place?”

Percy didn’t know the answer, but he knew that they had to start somewhere.

“Talk to Hermione tomorrow,” Percy told her, thinking about what Justin had said about getting everyone in the family blood tested. “I’ll talk to George.”

It was all they could do, open the conversation, explain to the family the how and why and what.

Because Molly had cancer and that was the final word of the subject.

~`~

Molly opened her eyes as she felt herself be pushed down a hallway, she was tired from her blood work and from not eating lunch. She wasn’t hungry after watching a needle go in and out of her arm.

Her arm hurt where she was poked with the needle, her father had come around just before the Junior Healer had started. They had a rule of sending out for a new Healer if they couldn’t hit a vein after the second try. Healer Justin had ended up coming in to get it done, he got her left arm on the first try.

“What’s going on?” asked Molly as she turned her head. “Where am I?”

“You didn’t forget our deal?” asked Ernie as he waved his wand to open a door. He pushed her inside an exam room, with an ultrasound machine in the corner.

“Oh, yeah,” mumbled Molly as she felt her eyes droop again. She was so tired, and hungry, and the pain in her arm was annoying her.

“Are you okay?” asked Ernie as he knelt in front of her. Up close, Molly was suddenly reminded of his oldest daughter Maggie. They had the same nose and freckles and sharp cheekbones.

“My arm hurts, they stuck me eight times,” Molly told him as she pulled up her sleeve to show him her inside arm, which looked like a red rash.

“Let me see,” said Ernie and Molly gave him her arm. He pulled out his wand and moved it over her inner arm, after a moment, the wand tip lite up. She felt her arm begin to heal itself and relaxed as the pain went away.

“Thank you,” Molly told him as he pulled her sleeve back down.

“You’re welcome, it’s what I’m here for,” said Ernie as he stood up, Molly felt her energy start to come back as she wasn’t focusing on the pain. “I’ll be back in a few minutes until then just sit tight.”

Molly nodded and watched as he walked back out the door. She took out her Fyre and began to type out a message before back tracking.

_Molly:_ Hey, you still coming?

She waited for a response, even to watch the three little dots to appear, but she got no response.

The door opened again and she sat up and adjusted her hat, pulling it down to her ears. She knew that she must have looked sickly and weak, it was how she often felt now.

She watched at Ernie and the Junior Healer from earlier walked in the door, closely followed by her cousin Freddie and his girlfriend LeeAnne.

“Surprise!” said Molly, as Freddie and LeeAnne turned to where she was sitting. Molly wheeled herself forward as Freddie walked over to hug her. Freddie gave the best hugs, he wrapped his arms completely around whoever he was hugging, and he always smelled like lemons.

Freddie pulled away and smiled down at her, he moved to her side and that was when Molly saw that they had more of an audience. James, Katie Wood, and the Lovegood twins, Lorcan and Lysander were also here. It made more sense now that she was also invited to come along, not just because she was at St. Mungo’s.

The truth was, and Molly thought about it again as James hugged her and Freddie helped LeeAnne to the exam table, Molly wasn’t as close to Freddie as Lucy was. Molly would say that she and Roxanne were closer, while Freddie and Lucy were extremely close. Molly always thought that it was funny how close Freddie and Lucy were, especially because Lucy couldn’t stand James most days, and Freddie and James had been attached to the hip since they were born.

“How you been?” asked James as he sat down in an open seat beside Molly.

“Tired, cold, sick,” Molly listed off, and she felt James squeeze her hand.

“We miss you,” said James and Molly took a quick glance at him, but saw that he was staring at the little screen where everyone else was crowd around. The only thing, was his eyes looked glassy and sad, while the others were all excited.

“I miss you guys too,” Molly told him, watching as Ernie zoomed in on different body parts of LeeAnne and Freddie’s twins.

“James, Molly, c’mon,” said Freddie waving them over. James stood up and pushed her over so she could see the screen better.

Two babies, twins, were on the screen and Molly thought of Lucy. She missed Lucy like nothing before, it was like a haunting ache in her chest. Without thinking, she grabbed Freddie’s free hand and held on tight.

“Would you like to know the genders?” asked the Junior Healer, and Molly watched as Freddie and LeeAnne shared a look.

“Yes,” said Freddie the same time that LeeAnne nodded. In her pocket, she felt her fyre buzzed against her side.

“Let’s see,” said the Healer as he moved his wand along LeeAnne’s stomach. “Here’s one boy, and we have another boy. Congratulations.”

Cheers erupted around them, James, Lorcan, and Lysander all began yelling and making their way out the door at Ernie’s glare. Molly, Katie, Freddie, and LeeAnne were left, with Katie being attached to LeeAnne just as Molly was to Freddie.

“You’re parents are going to kill you,” whispered Katie and Molly squeezed Freddie’s hand.

Uncle George and Aunt Angelina would be disappointed, but they would never throw him out or abandon him. No one in the family would do that to Freddie or LeeAnne.

She was a Weasley now, and once a Weasley, there was no going back.

“Don’t worry,” the Junior Healer whispered to LeeAnne as he handed her a towel. “I’m not going to let them throw you out like they did me.”

Molly had forgotten that LeeAnne had an older brother, but looking at him, she could see the resemblance between him and Katie. LeeAnne looked more like her mother than her father, not taking much of the Bell traits.

“You’re a Weasley now,” Molly told her, “we won’t turn our back on you.”

“Thank you,” said LeeAnne as she wiped at her eyes.

Molly smiled, she was happy for LeeAnne and Freddie, but she didn’t want to be in their position. As much as she loved children, she didn’t want a baby any time soon.


	9. Spring - March 18th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which real life crashes down around Molly and Lucy, Audrey doesn't sleep, and Percy helps name his daughters'.

Part Four – Spring

** Chapter Nine: March 18th **

Audrey rubbed Lucy’s back as she paced up and down the hallway of the hospital ward. Lucy was much too big for this, but her weight was comforting to Audrey, always had been. Lucy had long ago fallen asleep in her arms, her arms tight around Audrey’s neck, and snoring softly in her ear. It was calming to Audrey, if one was asleep, normally the other was too. If she couldn’t see Molly, at least she could hold Lucy.

Percy was asleep across three chairs, with his glasses askew and his feet hanging off. Audrey didn’t know how he could sleep, _yes_ , she was exhausted but _no_ , she wouldn’t be able to until she knew Molly was okay.

She knew she shouldn’t judge him either way, he had been up with Molly the whole night before, then went to work for ten hours. He had quite the day, and Audrey was grateful for everything he did for them, even if it took him away from them in this time of need.

“Audrey, your still awake,” said Justin from behind her. Audrey turned around to look at him, he looked just as exhausted as Audrey felt.

“Of course,” said Audrey, because Justin knew what she had been like in school. She had been the Hufflepuffs driving force during their OWLs, staying up until late in the night to study, then pushing through the next day.

“She did really well,” said Justin, sitting down in a seat across the hall from Percy’s spread out body. “So far her body has taken to the transplant.”

“It’s all we can ask for,” said Audrey as she sat down beside Percy’s head. It was the first time she sat down since the procedure started.

“George will be fine too,” said Justin, though it sounded more like an afterthought.

“How long will she be out?” asked Audrey, hoping that the anxiety in her voice wasn’t too audible.

“She should wake up first thing in the morning,” Justin told her, and Audrey felt herself relax.

She didn’t realize she was crying until Lucy reached a hand up and wiped at her eyes. Audrey, just like Percy and Lucy, had been worried that everything would go wrong.

“She did wonderful Audrey,” said Justin as he got to his feet. “I’ll be back in the morning to check in. If she’s awake we’ll bring everyone in to visit.”

“And if she’s not awake?” asked Audrey, scared that she might not be able to see her little girl.

“Then we’ll bring in you and Percy,” said Justin, with a tired smile. “Don’t worry, you’ll see her soon.”

Audrey nodded and hugged Lucy to herself, Lucy had quickly fallen back asleep. Audrey was sure that now she wouldn’t be able to sleep at all, they had gone from one challenge, to the other.

~`~

Lucy woke up in a bed that wasn’t her own, with a warm arm wrapped around her stomach and a face in her neck. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep in Devon’s bed, but she had, and she also didn’t mean to put on his shirt to sleep in, but she did.

“Morning babe,” mumbled Devon as Lucy turned her head and met his lips with her own. Devon kissed her back, morning breath be damned, and wrapped his arms around her tighter.

As stressful as the last few months had been, she was so grateful for Devon Lee Jordan. He was sweet and kind and smart and funny, everything she would ever need or want.

She remembered back at the beginning of the summer, when she wished to have a relationship just like her parents. One that was open and honest and kind, one that was happy and good in times of trouble.

“What time is it?” asked Lucy as Devon moved his mouth down her neck and his hands up her shirt. She felt blissful and happy, warm under the covers with Devon’s body so close to hers.

They had talked about the expectations of their relationship, once they had come back to Hogwarts after the holidays and things started to level out. With Molly in a second round of chemo and her parents struggling to stay in contact, Lucy had gone straight to Devon. It helped that he got along well with her family and that he was her fellow Prefect.

“Just after eight,” said Devon, and Lucy pushed him away, falling out of bed as she did so.

“I have arithmancy at eight fifteen,” said Lucy as she grabbed her jeans off the floor and began putting them on. “I’ll see you soon.”

She ran out the door of his dorm, feeling his eyes on her back as she left. She liked the thought of him watching her when she left the room.

Lucy liked Devon, she had decided that a long time ago, but now she was sure that she was in love with him. She had never been comfortable enough to fall asleep in a boy’s bed before, not even her cousin’s.

She ran up to her own dorm and quickly got dressed in her uniform, she put her glasses on, then grabbed her book bag before running back down to the common room. Devon was waiting for her, standing in nothing except for a pair of shorts, a pair of second years were watching him from a table by the windows.

“Sorry about the time,” said Devon, as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

“It’s okay, see you at lunch,” Lucy told him, before she ran out the door of the common room.

She made it to class a few minutes late, but slid into her seat while Professor Monty was distracted writing something on the board. This was the only class she didn’t have with Dominique or Molly.

And Herbology, which the Ravenclaws had with the Slytherins. She had Herbology that afternoon, just before dinner.

She listened and took notes and tried to stay focus on the class and not thinking about being in bed with Devon. She knew from watching Dominique and Rose and Freddie and her other cousins that having a boyfriend or girlfriend was a distraction. She had hoped that since Devon was also very studious and mature that he wouldn’t be as distracting.

Lucy was quick to pack up her bag and get out the door, only for Professor Monty to call after her.

“Miss Weasley a word!”

Lucy turned on her heel and walked back into the classroom, where Professor Monty had the erasers going to work on the board. She stood back by her favorite desk towards the front of the classroom.

“Miss Weasley you were late today,” said Professor Monty and Lucy looked down at her feet. “This is the second time in the last week.”

“I’m sorry professor, my dorm mates keep turning off my alarm,” Lucy lied, though it wasn’t a true lie, Devon had turned her alarm off on Monday.

“Well then I think you need to have a conversation with your dorm mates, I’m sure if you address the issue with Professor Chang she will be on your side,” said Professor Monty as he took a seat behind his desk. “That being said, I wanted to congratulate you on your last essay, you were the only one to get a perfect score.”

“Thank you Professor Monty,” said Lucy looking up at him, she felt warm, and knew her ears were the same color as her hair. “And I’m very sorry for coming to class late again.”

“I have to admit that I am very happy that you decided to still come to class,” Professor Monty told her, “a lot of your classmates don’t have the same dedication.”

Lucy nodded and turned on her heel, walking out the door. Now she just had to get through Charms, Herbology, History of Magic, and Defense Against the Dark Arts before the day would be over.

She headed down to the Charms corridor, running part way so she wouldn’t be late. Professor Chang already didn’t like her, something that she didn’t understand as she had made Lucy a Prefect. Lucy just made it on time to walk into with Dominique and Devon.

She sat down beside Dominique, as she always did for Charms. Lucy was good at Charms, but Dominique was amazing. Professor Chang loved Dominique, but she had apparently also loved Victoire.

Lucy tried to keep her head down and work on her pronunciations, listening to Dominique. Lucy was sure that Dominique had inherited Tante Fleur’s skill in Charms, Uncle Charlie still liked to tell the story of her performance in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament.

They were practicing the locomotion charm, and plates, goblets, and napkins were being sent all around the room. They were supposed to be sending them to a partner on the other side of the room, and Lucy had been paired up with Harry Kentworth, one of Dominique’s dorm mates. She was part of a long list of girls and boys who were named after Uncle Harry.

“Now for homework,” said Professor Chang at the end of class, “next week we will start work on the shield charm, I want all of you to read the chapter on defensive charms and write a twelve inch essay.”

She was met with a lot of groans and sighs as they copied down her instructions. Lucy was ready for vacation again, the Easter holidays were coming soon, and Lucy wanted to go to the beach.

She knew though, if Molly wasn’t sick, she probably would’ve stayed back this year to study for her OWL exams. Devon was planning on staying back, even though Lucy got permission to be able to bring him along.

“I also want you all to take some time to try and practice the shield charm, before class next week,” continued Professor Chang, ignoring the class’ whines and groans.

The bell went off, and Lucy got up to leave, she was starving after missing breakfast that morning. Thursdays were always too long for her.

“Miss Weasley a word,” said Professor Chang as Lucy was about to walk out the door. She waved off Devon, telling him to go down to lunch.

Lucy walked back up to the front of the classroom and took a seat. Over the last few years, she had learned how exactly Professor Chang liked to berate her.

“Lucy,” said Professor Chang in an annoyed voice, “I’m starting to become concerned with you.”

Lucy was quiet, she wasn’t quite sure what this was about, she had finished all of her homework and was almost always on time to class.

“ _Why_?” asked Lucy, realizing a beat later that she sounded rude, but she was hungry and tired.

In response, Professor Chang handed her the last two homework assignments. On top of both of them were large D’s.

“You’ve failed your last two assignments, and by the looks of it, are struggling with the locomotion charm,” explained Professor Chang, as she began cleaning off her chalkboard by hand. “I’ve also heard word that you’ve been leaving your Prefect rounds early.”

Lucy looked down in her lap, feeling tears well up in her eyes; James had promised her that he wouldn’t tell anyone.

“It was only once,” said Lucy, hearing her voice start to go up a pitch. “I promise it won’t happen again.”

“I’ve heard from your other professors that you’ve been falling behind in your other classes,” said Professor Chang, turning back to her. “If this keeps up, then your Prefect badge will be removed and you’ll have to go into mandatory tutoring.”

Lucy nodded slowly, refusing to look up at Professor Chang. This was so _unfair_ , she got good marks in her other classes, she was studying for her OWLs, and she made it to every Prefect meeting and was never late to her rounds.

“If you need help, all you have to do is ask,” Professor Chang told her, and Lucy stood up from her seat.

“Thank you professor,” said Lucy and she practically ran out of the classroom.

She walked down the corridor and turned a corner, only to feel her legs give out as she began crying.

~`~

Percy paced back and forth in the living room, while Audrey sat on the couch working on her knitting. The scarf she had been working on was now turning into a baby blanket.

She had decided on yellow and pink for their girls, and had spread the message through the family. Percy had received several angry howlers from Hermione about the color coding, all of which Percy ignored. He would go to war with Hermione for Audrey, but he liked the color coding, if only they could set on names for their daughters.

“What about Allison?” asked Percy, stopping in his pacing to look at Audrey.

“I don’t know,” said Audrey as she patted the spot on the couch beside her, putting her knitting on her other side. Percy sat down and Audrey took his hands in her own. “My mother’s name was Abigail, we could do Allison and Abigail.”

“That sounds too similar,” said Percy, wrinkling his nose. He wasn’t fond of matching names, he wanted his daughters to be individuals.

He didn’t want to see one of them fall apart if they lost the other. He had seen George go through that, he couldn’t watch one of his daughters go through that. He was worried that giving them similar names would hurt them more than help.

“What about Marie for a middle name?” asked Audrey, and Percy sighed, he knew four Marie’s in his year, two were Gryffindor’s with him.

“I know too many Marie’s,” Percy told her, wrinkling his nose. Audrey sighed and put her head on his shoulder.

“Maybe we should both make a list of names and we’ll both decide on what we like,” suggested Audrey as Percy wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Audrey brought his other hand to her stomach, where one of them were kicking.

“I thought we were going to decide together,” said Percy, and Audrey sighed.

“I just think that if we both get our ideas down, then we can both come up with something together,” Audrey explained, as she squeezed Percy’s hand.

“Okay,” said Percy, as he tucked his head into her hair.

They sat like that for a while, until Audrey needed to get up to use the bathroom, Percy helped her up and watched her walk away. He had a few ideas for what to name their daughters. There was a list of names that he had written and rewritten at his desk in the shop. George had teased him about it when he came across it a few weeks ago.

“Should we go to dinner?” asked Audrey, and Percy looked up from his seat. Audrey looked like she had a large pillow stuffed under her clothes, it would’ve been funny if he didn’t know how uncomfortable she was.

“Yes,” said Percy jumping up from his seat and rushing to her side. “Hopefully we can beat Rory there this time.”

~`~

Molly curled up in bed, her fyre right in front of her, the screen lighting up with messages.

She didn’t have the patience to read the same rejection over and over again. Artie didn’t want to meet her family in a way that he couldn’t control the outcome. She wanted to bring him along for the annual beach trip with her family, but he told her he didn’t want to meet her family.

Part of her was devastated, but the other part of her understood that her family could be intimidating. She had two uncles who were aurors, an uncle who worked with dragons, an aunt who was head of the MLE, and an aunt who used to play Quidditch for one of the best teams in the league, not to mention all of her aunts and uncles were involved in the war in one way or another. That didn’t include her cousins, most of which were Quidditch players and expert mischief makers.

Molly rolled onto her back and pulled her hat off, she had a fine layer of hair on her head. She didn’t remember how annoying it was to grow her hair back out.

She sighed before climbing out of bed and putting her hat back on. Now that she was out of chemo, for the time being, she wasn’t allowed to wander anymore without her family. She didn’t quite understand it, but she wasn’t going to fight it and get put on room arrest.

She opened the door the same time it was being yanked open.

“Hi James,” said Molly, as her older cousin walked into the room.

James was quiet, which was a first to Molly, his longer hair looked like spikes on his head. He was giving off the same energy as Molly sat down on her bed again.

“Molly we need to talk,” said James coming to a halt, he was angry, Molly could tell with his quiet tone. James was only quiet when he was angry or sad.

“What about?” asked Molly, she hadn’t been at school all year, she hadn’t done anything except for be trapped in St. Mungo’s.

“Lucy.”

~`~

Audrey sat quietly beside Percy, Angelina had come around and taken Lucy home with her. Percy was still asleep beside her, still spread out over three chairs.

Justin had come back after a few hours away, looking clean and refreshed. Audrey had started knitting as she didn’t have Lucy in her arms.

“You didn’t even try to sleep did you?” asked Justin as Audrey stood up.

“You can’t blame me,” Audrey told him, knowing that Justin couldn’t. Molly was her daughter, she was her baby, and she couldn’t sleep without knowing that her daughter was okay.

“I can’t,” agreed Justin as they walked into Molly’s room, “let’s see how well Evan took care of her.”

Audrey had no clue who Evan was, but it became clear quickly that he was also a Healer. Justin greeted him with a smile and a quick kiss, which surprised Audrey because she thought that she knew everything about Justin.

“Evan, this is Audrey, Molly’s mother,” Justin told Evan, and Audrey reached pass Justin to shake his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Audrey told him, and Evan smiled.

“The same. Molly did wonderful last night too, slept all the way through,” said Evan, as he allowed Audrey to take his seat beside Molly. She was still sleeping, but that was okay for Audrey, she could see that Molly was okay.

“Let me check her charts, then I’ll let you be for a little while,” said Justin as Evan left them.

Audrey reached forward and held Molly’s hand holding it close to her. She kissed each of her fingers and smiled as she felt Molly wiggle her fingers a little. It was something that she always did when she slept and someone touched her.

But it was also the rule, if Molly felt like she couldn’t move because of the pain she was in, she would wiggle her fingers.

Audrey kissed her hand again and smiled as she watched Molly sleep. The only thing that mattered right now was her chest rising and falling with every breath.

“Mama,” whispered a small voice, and Audrey looked around. Molly was still asleep, but as she turned around toward the door, she found Percy and Lucy.

Molly and Lucy were nearly identical, their biggest difference being their eyes. Molly had Percy’s brown eyes, the same eyes as her namesake, while Lucy shared Audrey’s blue eyes, her brother Lucas’ eyes.

But unlike herself or her brother Lucas, Lucy wore reading glasses, her eyesight was better than Percy’s but already starting to deteriorate. Seeing her in Percy’s arms, both still with sleep in their eyes and their glasses crooked and in yesterday’s clothes made her heart swell with love and happiness.

“She did really well,” Audrey whispered as Percy handed Lucy to her and pulled up a seat beside her. “She should wake up soon.”

“You should sleep Audrey,” said Percy, as he pulled Lucy back onto his lap. Lucy for her part didn’t complain, seeing as she spent most of the night in Audrey’s arm.

“Not until she wakes up,” Audrey told him, as she squeezed Molly’s fingers.

“She’s tired mama,” said Lucy with a small yawn, “she’ll wake up in a few hours.”

Audrey looked at her, she wasn’t little anymore, she and Molly were up to her shoulders now, and they were only eight. She was constantly reminded that they were growing and changing and becoming more with every passing day.

She had to believe Lucy.

“Okay,” said Audrey, feeling all of her energy leave her in the same moment. “Do you want to come home with me?”

Lucy shook her head, and climbed off of Percy’s lap and onto Molly’s bed, curling up on Molly’s far side.

Audrey always forgot how close they were, mainly because they couldn’t keep them together all the time. Lucy was in school, she spent time with her cousins, aunts, and uncles, she had friends and a life outside of the hospital.

Audrey kissed Percy, then Molly and walked around to give one to Lucy, then she took her leave.

Molly would wake up soon, and she would be there.

~`~

Lucy curled into herself, pulling her legs to her chest and crying like a small child. She didn’t want her Prefect badge taken away, she wanted to do well on her exams, and she wanted Molly back.

It just wasn’t _fair_ , she had no one on her side anymore, no one to help her through this.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

Lucy felt a warm pair of arms wrap around her shoulders and pull her close. A warm hand was rubbing her back and the other was pulling her even closer. She could hear humming, something soft and calming and familiar.

She looked up at James, and felt a wave of shock run through her. Lucy didn’t like James, she thought that he was loud and annoying and nosy. He was completely different than Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, if he hadn’t looked like his parents, and was as Quidditch obsessed as them, Lucy would’ve thought he was adopted.

He wasn’t very Weasley-ish, but he was family so Lucy played nice.

“Are you singing Queen?” asked Lucy as she wiped her face.

“Yeah,” said James as he conjured a handkerchief for her. “Who wants to live forever.”

Lucy was quiet, her dad liked Queen, and whenever he came to pick up Lucy and Molly from Kings Cross he always played Queen.

James kept rubbing her back and Lucy rested her head on his shoulder. She was so tired and hungry and angry at Professor Chang for treating her like a child.

“You told Professor Chang that I left rounds early,” said Lucy quietly, feeling her temper start to rise. “You promised me you wouldn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t say anything,” James told her, as he started to look through his book bag. “That doesn’t mean that Katie or Devon didn’t.”

It was so like James to blame others for something he did, Lucy was sure that he was lying.

“What are you even doing around here?” asked Lucy as James finally stopped searching through his bag.

“I needed to talk to Professor Chang about an essay she wants me to publish,” said James, as he handed her a sandwich and an apple. “I really don’t want to, but she won’t let it go.”

“Must be nice,” Lucy told him, because of course James was one of Professor Chang’s favorites. “To get one of your essays published.”

“I really don’t need to hear it Lucy,” snapped James as he took a bite of a second apple. “I’m under a lot of pressure and don’t need you making me feel bad.”

Lucy was quiet, none of her cousins ever yelled at her, she was the one who was always on good graces with everyone. The closest she ever got to a fight with any of them was when she didn’t talk to Rose for taking her cupcake back when she was six.

“So am I,” whispered Lucy as she unwrapped the sandwich James had given her. “Molly’s sick, and I’m failing charms, and Professor Chang just told me if I mess up again she’ll take away my Prefect badge.”

“Yeah,” said James before taking another bite of his apple, “I know that Molly’s sick, it’s been on my mind all year. Add in Freddie and LeeAnne having twins, add in the fact that I haven’t seen Roxanne in about three weeks outside of class, and that I’m helping Hugo with his school work, and having to keep an eye on Louis because no one else is-“

“I am,” interrupted Lucy, though she couldn’t really remember the last time she had seen him.

“No you’re not,” said James in tone that made it final. “Don’t forget that I also have my own siblings to watch after, and my friends, and this isn’t even including my classes, or Quidditch, or my Head Boy duties.”

Lucy couldn’t say anything, because she never thought about everything that he was going through. James was Head Boy and Quidditch captain of the Gryffindor team, and the oldest of them all at Hogwarts. He had to study for his NEWTs and he was still taking nine classes, and she knew that he had to tutor because of all of his detentions in the last few years.

He lived up to his namesakes, the first James Potter and Sirius Black, in both his troublemaking and also his family responsibilities.

Maybe, just maybe, Lucy had been too hard on him over the years.

“I’m sorry,” Lucy told him, and James stopped eating to look down at her. The resemblance he had to both of his parents was slightly jarring, he had Aunt Ginny’s eyes, red hair, and freckles, but Uncle Harry’s nose, lips, and skin tone. He also could go from being serious to goofy in about half a second, just like his parents.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been a pain to you this year and the last few,” Lucy expanded, she looked him right in the eyes, not blinking. “I never thought I needed to care about your opinion or what you were going through, but we’re a lot more alike than I thought.”

A grin slowly crept up on James face, and before she knew it, Lucy was giving him a matching smile.

“Thank you Lucy,” said James, as he pulled her into a hug and lightly ruffled her hair. “You have no idea what this means to me. My dad’s been riding me all year to be more responsible, and you just made it a bit easier to handle.”

Lucy nodded, the day might have been horrible for her, but at least she made it better for someone else.

~`~

Percy stared at their collective list of names, they were down to four. Four names that they both didn’t hate, and four names that they both didn’t love.

Maria

Lucy

Abigail

Allyson

“What if I write down a name and you write down a name and then we both come back and share,” suggested Audrey as she rubbed her stomach. They were getting closer to her due date every day and the fact that they didn’t have any names yet was starting to make him nervous.

He sat down across from her at the table and began sorting through names in his head. He wanted to honor his family, they had taken him back so quickly, especially his mum.

He wrote Molly down on the piece of paper in front of him, then he quickly wrote down Fred. George had named his son Freddie, but Percy and Audrey had wanted to name their son Lucas Frederick after both of their brothers.

He picked up the baby name book he had taken to carrying around with him, George had found him reading it more than doing his work as of late. Percy had been embarrassed the first few times, but now he just brushed it off. It wasn’t as if George hadn’t just gone through the same panic two years ago before he had his own twins.

Percy skimmed through the book, looking for the name he had found the other day.

Fredalena – peaceful ruler, queen

It was perfect for his daughter, Molly Fredalena.

“What do you have?” asked Audrey looking up from her own piece of paper.

“Molly Fredalena, for mum and Fred,” Percy told her, “what about you?”

“Lucille Abigail, for Lucas and my mum,” said Audrey with a sad smile.

Percy reached across the table and squeezed Audrey’s hand, they never talked about her parents. They had been killed in the same hour that Audrey, Rory, and Lucas had left their hometown. The Dark Mark had hung over their house for almost two days before anyone had investigated, they had found their bodies in the kitchen.

Percy only knew this because he remembered this report coming across his desk in the beginning of the end. The last nine months of the war would be ones that he would never forget, how could he when he had spent so much of it in a dazed panic.

Abigail and Ronan Phillips had been killed by Death Eaters searching for Muggleborn Hogwarts students.

“I like it,” said Percy, and Audrey nodded.

“Let’s switch the middle names, so then we both have a say in their names,” suggested Audrey, already putting her pencil to paper. “Though I still like the name Riona.”

“I know,” said Percy as he looked down at the names they would give their daughters.

Lucille Fredalena and Molly Abigail.

It was the perfect names for their girls, for the legacy of their family.

~`~

Molly stared up at James, did he not know that Molly _literally_ talked to Lucy every day? They texted at least twice a day, and they talked on the phone at least once a day, sometimes more depending on the day. Whatever he had to say, she already knew.

“Molly,” said James, still fired up, still pacing. “Lucy’s failing charms, she struggling in her other classes, she has this dumb boyfriend, and is at risk to get her Prefects badge taken away.”

Molly was quiet, sensing that James was still going, still needing to talk.

“Lucy’s falling apart and I don’t know how to help her,” said James, all of the fight suddenly leaving him as he sat down in the chair by Molly’s bed.

Molly looked at James, he looked remarkable like Aunt Ginny to her, the same red hair, brown eyes, freckles, and cheekbones. They had the same smile and same laugh, the same temperament and the same fierceness that got them into more trouble than anyone else in the family.

“She didn’t tell me she was failing charms,” whispered Molly, because Lucy was better at keeping secrets. Lucy kept things bottled up, until everything burst. “She didn’t tell me that she was struggling.”

“What should I do?” asked James and Molly looked passed him to the photo tacked up on wall behind his head. It was of all the cousins at Christmas, all of them in their Weasley’s sweaters, all different colors and each with the first letter of their name. Everyone was happy and smiling, while Lucy and Molly sat in the center, whispering to each other and not looking at the camera.

“Just help her,” said Molly, still staring at the photograph. “She won’t like it at first, but she’ll come around, she always does.”

“That’s not very helpful,” said James, and Molly shrugged.

“It’s not about you, it’s about her isn’t?”

James was quiet this time, and Molly could see some of Uncle Harry in him. The same softness of his forehead, the same ears slightly poking out of his hair, and the same brightness in his eyes.

James nodded and Molly smiled.

That was that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week is the annual Wotter family and friends beach trip!! See you all next time!
> 
> ~Harry


	10. Spring - April 3rd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beach trip! 
> 
> Audrey works out some of feelings about miscarrying her son. Molly and Lucy remember how much they love their cousins and being a Weasley, while missing their boyfriends. And Percy meets Audrey for the very first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three more chapters and the epilogue left, but don't worry, this won't be the last time we see the Phillips/Weasley family!

Chapter Ten: April 3rd

Audrey stared out at the water. 

Instead of going to Romania, they went to the beach. Charlie was nice enough to understand that they needed time, they needed space.

She had asked for this time off months ago, back when Romania had been the plan. But then their lives changed again. Life had a funny way of taking everything that was held close and near and twisting it up on them.

Audrey rocked in the porch swing to the same beat that the waves washed up onto the shore. She felt calm here, it was quiet this time of year, with no tourists and no children.

Percy was walking up and down the small stretch of beach in front of the house they had rented. It had too many rooms and floors for them, it had also been incredibly expensive, but they had the money and the rental company had mixed up their dates and given it to them for a heavy discount. They spent their days wandering up and down the Sound, dragging their feet through the surf, just before heading into town to get dinner or window shop.

It was peaceful, but they weren’t peaceful.

Audrey could feel the strain between them, starting three days ago when they got the first owl, announcing to the world that James Sirius Potter was born. The first child of the Chosen One, The Boy Who Lived, was here. Then came the next letter, this one sloppy and scribbled on a spare piece of parchment in George’s handwriting.

Freddie Gideon and Roxanne Maxine were here.

They were just missing baby Lucas Frederick.

Percy had ranted and raved about James, but had taken to pacing at the waterside about Freddie and Roxanne. Audrey drew herself in closer, her calm broke with every silence that passed between them.

She was officially an aunt now, even if it was only by marriage.

Victoire had been calling her auntie since they first met, she was adored by the family and by Minister Kingsley. Audrey had been roped in by Kingsley, then by Percy. But this was different now, she hadn’t known Victoire as a baby, not even as a toddler, but she would know James and Freddie and Roxanne as such.

They were even to be Freddie’s godparents.

Audrey stared at the water, coming in before being pulled back out, peaceful and calm.

“Audrey?” said Percy as he walked up the steps, his feet barefoot and wet from walking in the shallow tide.

Audrey looked up at him, his eyes rimmed in red and bloodshot behind his glasses. His chest was red from being out in the sun and his ears blended in with his hair.

Audrey didn’t say anything, just moved over to allow him to sit next to her. He wrapped his arms around her as he sat down, they were warm and red from being sunburned.

“Let’s just stay here Percy,” said Audrey, as she tucked her face into his neck. “Let’s move here and not leave until we can’t stand it any longer.”

Percy was quiet now as he touched his red arms and legs. Audrey could practically hear the wheels in his head spinning and turning to find a way where this worked.

“I don’t want to.”

This wasn’t the answer she expected.

“I’ve spent too much time running away from my problems,” said Percy as he pulled her closer to himself, “it’s time to face them again.”

She knew that he was right, but she wasn’t ready to leave.

“Then let’s promise to come back, every year Percy, let’s make sure to come to the beach no matter what,” said Audrey as Percy pulled her into his lap. She was already sure that he would be hurting by the time they went to bed, she was happy that she brought along a few potions just for this purpose.

“We can do that,” said Percy quietly, “I quite like it here.”

“Do you think they’ll be angry with us?” asked Audrey, looking up at him, “that we didn’t bother to come to see them at St. Mungo’s?”

“I really don’t care if they are,” said Percy, holding her tighter. “They know what we went through.”

Audrey nodded, already knowing that she would be the one to send a letter promising to come visit when they came back next week. It would be hard, and she would probably cry and be sad after she saw the three babies, but that was what having family was. 

“It’ll be okay Audrey,” whispered Percy, holding her even tighter, “someday we’ll have our own.”

Audrey tucked her head back into his shoulder, if everything had gone right, they would already have a son.

~`~

Lucy laid down on the giant blanket that Aunt Hermione always brought out. She could feel sand sticking to her skin, she knew that she would be going back to Hogwarts with more freckles and a skin tone that matched her hair.

Rose laid beside her, her trashy beach romance novel in front of her. She was already peeling from being out the last few days, but Rose was never one to mind a sunburn. Lucy turned a page in her charms book, she was just bored, but James had told her if she was going to spend her time reading she mind as well read up on the locomotion charm. Lucy sighed and rolled over, putting a hand over her eyes and letting herself turn bright red.

“Go swimming or something,” said Rose, not even looking away from her pages. “It’s not like you have to study.”

Lucy snorted, not able to help herself, Rose didn’t even come last year so she could study for her OWLs. Lucy had been both impressed and not surprised. Rose was pretty dedicated to her schoolwork, just like Aunt Hermione.

“I promised I wouldn’t go swimming,” Lucy reminded her, Molly wasn’t allowed to go swimming and Lucy was with her in solidarity.

“Then walk around or something,” said Rose, as she turned a page. “Go out on a bike.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, Rose was of course being no fun.

“I’m not allowed to just lay here?”

“Not if you’re going to sigh and be annoying,” said Rose, and Lucy rolled back over and on top of Rose.

She sighed loudly into Rose’s hair and began giggling, causing Rose to do the same. Lucy got along pretty well with Rose, they were always study buddies and Rose was always nice to her and Molly. It helped that their mum’s got along, both of them marrying into the family around the same time and both being Muggleborn and understanding the Muggle world. 

“Get off,” said Rose, trying to get a hold of Lucy, “this is cousin abuse!”

Lucy just laughed louder and wrapped her arms around Rose, both of them laughing loudly. 

“Oi Lucy-Lou, that’s my girl,” said Scorpius as he dropped down next to them, his hair wet along with his bathing suit. He leaned down to kiss Rose quickly, then ruffled Lucy’s hair. 

“That’s my cousin you’re kissing,” said Lucy as she climbed off of Rose.

“Which one of us are you telling that too?” asked Rose, and Scorpius laughed.

Lucy smiled and watched as Rose sat up and kissed Scorpius again. Scorpius was like Lucy’s cousin, Aunt Astoria’s family had taken in Audrey, Lucas, and Rory during the war. They kept up the relationship, they came to family dinners, they were a part of their weddings, and they were Molly and Lucy’s adoptive aunts and grandparents.

Scorpius Malfoy and Lyla Zabini were Molly and Lucy’s cousins as much as Freddie and Rose and Dominique were. 

“Both,” said Lucy as she got up and grabbed her book, she headed up to the house, leaving Scorpius and Rose behind. They were giggling and talking together, making Lucy miss Devon.

They were texting each other every day, every few hours, but it wasn’t the same as being together. She walked pass LeeAnne and Freddie sitting together on the porch swing, their heads together and laughing.

She couldn’t get away from the happy couples.

She walked upstairs to the room she was sharing with Molly and Dominique. Molly was lying in bed with her eyes close, but Lucy could tell she wasn’t sleeping. Lucy climbed into bed beside her.

“I miss Devon,” Lucy whispered as she tucked her face into Molly’s neck. “I wish he would’ve come out with us.”

Lucy could tell that Molly was keeping something from her, but she didn’t push. Molly would tell her sooner than later. 

“OWLs are coming Lucy,” said Molly as she turned and pulled Lucy to her. “I’m surprised you didn’t stay behind.”

“Why would I stay behind?” asked Lucy quietly, “we come out here every year.”

“To study like Al and Scorpius and Rosie did last year,” said Molly, tucking back into Lucy’s side.

Maybe if the year had gone differently, then Lucy would’ve stayed behind. But the beach trip was started by their parents, they had come out every year for the last twenty years. She also missed Molly, with Quidditch and classes and her homework and Prefect duties, she needed a break. 

“Lucy,” whispered Molly, and Lucy opened her eyes, she could feel herself start to drift away. “Are you awake?”

“No,” whispered Lucy, and they both giggled quietly. 

“I have to tell you something,” said Molly, as she put her lips to Lucy’s ear. “I have a secret boyfriend.”

Lucy pulled away enough to look at Molly, who was smiling at her. Lucy couldn’t even tell if Molly was telling the truth. Except that she knew when Molly was lying to her. Her voice got all squeaky and high pitch, just like Lucy’s did.

“What’s his name?” asked Lucy as she tucked herself back in.

“Artie Jacobs, he’s a year ahead of us and in my house.”

“He was the Keeper who got hit by lightning,” said Lucy, remembering the first Quidditch game of the year.

“I really like him and want you to meet him when I come back to school,” said Molly, as she hugged Lucy. 

“Okay,” said Lucy as she felt her eyes grow heavy again.

~`~

Percy ignored the chatter around him, his head was pounding and he was exhausted. He had been up since the early hours of the morning, dreading this meeting today. 

Minister Kingsley sat across from him, an open seat beside him and his brother Bill on his other side. Little Victoire was in the Minister’s lap, she was smiling and laughing, Percy quite adored her. She was incredible smart and funny, just like her mother Fleur, who was deep in a conversation with Ginny beside her.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had their heads together as they usually did. All three of them reading off a piece of parchment in Hermione’s hand, Percy could recognize the Ministry’s memo letterhead even now, five years later. 

George and Angelina sat on his other side, talking animatedly to Charlie who looked a bit overwhelmed. Percy couldn’t blame him, they were in a restaurant, in a public Muggle area, and George was going on about the last Puddlemere game. 

At least they were in a private room.

“Kingsley,” called Ginny from down the table, “When are we getting this thing started? I have practice soon.”

“As soon as Audrey gets here, she went to another meeting for me with Games and Sports and those always drag on,” explained Kingsley, as he turned to look over at the door. “Though I do apologize, she can sometimes be late.”

“Who is Audrey?” asked George, raising an eyebrow at Kingsley, “this isn’t a weird set up for Charlie is it?”

Percy laughed while Charlie looked away, blushing. He would later apologize on George’s behalf, he had too. He slightly elbowed George in the ribs, to remind him to not be inappropriate. 

“Audrey is my assistant,” said Kingsley, and Percy could hear his disappointment, Percy had turned down the job himself. He had actually left the Ministry the same day that Kingsley had become the Minister of Magic. “She’s a very capable young woman, been with me for the last four years.”

Behind them, a door opened and in walked their waitress, she walked around them, taking their orders. When she reached Kingsley, he told her they were waiting on one more and that he would take care of the check. Percy saw a bit of relief of this news cross over both Ron’s and Charlie’s faces. Even now the subject of money made them all uncomfortable.

A few minutes after their waitress left and when Percy was about to just offer to take notes, the door behind them opened again. In walked a short woman with dark curly hair and a Ravenclaw tie keeping her hair pulled out of her eyes. She wore a yellow shirt with a dark jacket and a matching skirt, she looked very put together, more than Percy ever did when he had her job.

She must have been Audrey.

He noticed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked up and smiled at her, before putting their heads back together. The three of them all worked at the Ministry, so they all knew Audrey, they all had high opinions of her.

He noticed that Fleur and Bill both gave her a strange look, almost as if they recognized her but didn’t know where they knew her from. It was a look he used to get from others back when he worked at the Ministry, anytime he walked through Diagon Alley he would get stares.

Audrey sat down beside Kingsley and took out a small book and Muggle quill. When the waitress came around with everyone’s food, she ordered quietly and quickly, then they got to work.

“We need to talk about the Fred Weasley Memorial Scholarship,” said Kingsley, then just like that the room went into utter chaos.

Percy sat quietly and allowed his family to dictate the conversation, Bill letting all of his opinions be known and everyone else trying to get a word in around him. Percy didn’t even bother, somethings just weren’t his place.

George sat in stony silence next to him, his hand shaking as he listened to Bill talk. Charlie was sitting with his head down, trying not to cry. The mention of Fred could still get him to tear up, it still got their parents upset to talk about Fred.

Percy focused on Audrey, she sat with her quill moving in her hand and her eyes trained on whoever was speaking. He was impressed, he could never take notes like that.

He could never be like Audrey.

~`~

Molly sat on the porch swing, staring out at the water, wishing and wishing that she could run out into the surf. But she was only allowed to come on this trip as long as she didn’t go out in the water, the risk of her getting pneumonia or worse was still there and it wasn’t worth it.

As much as she loved the beach trip, she loved the thought of going back to school more. She was cancer free, but there was still a lot of work left to be done. The truth was, she wasn’t supposed to expect to go back to school until next September, but she was sure that she would be back in time to sit her exams.

That was at least her hopes.

“What about Liam?” asked LeeAnne from Molly’s side, “or Nathan?”

“Uncle Bill’s name is William, and that’s pretty close to Liam,” Molly told her, “and Nathan is too stuffy.”

LeeAnne sighed and rubbed a hand over her protruding stomach. At least Molly had company, LeeAnne had trouble enough walking on solid ground with her stomach as big as it was now, she was due at the end of July, but was already big, and adding in sand wasn’t going to help her. She was spending her time napping, making lists of names for her twin boys, and alternating between doing her homework and studying for her NEWTs. The rest of her time she was spending with the family on all the required outings, such as going to get ice cream and family dinners.

“This is so hard,” said LeeAnne as she marked her spot and put her baby name book down beside her on the bench. “I wish picking out names was as easy as it was for our parents.”

“It took my parents months to name me and Lucy,” Molly told her as she adjusted her hat. Her hair was down to her ears now, but was in such tight curls that she still needed her hats to stay warm.

“I thought you were named after your grandmother,” said LeeAnne, and Molly nodded.

“I was named after both of them, Abigail was my mum’s mums name,” explained Molly as she picked up LeeAnne’s name book. “Lucy was name after our Uncle Lucas on mum’s side and Uncle Fred on dad’s. All of them were killed during the war, except for my Nana Molly.”

“I was named after my Aunt LeeAnne and Grandmother Marie on mum’s side,” said LeeAnne, as she rocked the bench, “both killed during the war.”

“Damn the war,” said Molly, and LeeAnne nodded.

“Damn everyone who went the easy way in naming us,” said LeeAnne and Molly giggled. She never really got to sit and talk with LeeAnne, but she liked her and thought that she was great for Freddie.

Molly picked up the list of names that LeeAnne had made and skimmed through.

“I like Benjamin, you could call him Benji as a nickname,” said Molly as LeeAnne held her stomach. “Johnny’s cute too.”

“Those were the two I gravitate towards,” said LeeAnne, “Freddie likes them too, but we can’t pick a middle name to save us.”

“You could use a family name or a name that you like,” said Molly, as she put away LeeAnne’s list. It was full of circled names and scribbles and crossed out names. “What names have you and Freddie been considering?”

“Connor, after my brother, but he’s pulled away quite a bit since he became my Healer,” explained LeeAnne as she pushed the porch railing with her foot, rocking them again. “I also have been thinking about naming one of them after Freddie, but he doesn’t want our children to be named after him.”

“Freddie can be like that, we’re all legacy kids and the thought of naming a child after us, who were already named after someone is just weird,” Molly told her, it had come up in Freddie’s last letter, and the one before, and the one before that. She had finally pulled him aside once they were both at the beach house and alone and told him he needed to talk to LeeAnne about it.

“I get it, we talked about it a little, thank you,” said LeeAnne, turning to smile at Molly. “I’m also one of those legacy kids.”

“I know,” said Molly, because she did and she felt a bit annoyed by what LeeAnne said. “It was all just a suggestion.”

“I’m sorry, that was rude, you know that already,” said LeeAnne, as she grabbed Molly’s hand and pressed it to her stomach. Molly could feel little kicks against her hand and smiled.

“It’s okay,” said Molly, “but I do think if you want to name one of your sons after Freddie you should. Freddie’s a great person and he loves you and cares about you and the boys so much. He’s like an older brother to me and Lucy, and if he could be like that to us, then he’ll be a great father to your sons.”

“Thank you, Molly,” said LeeAnne as she pulled Molly into a hug. “I really appreciate all of this.”

Molly hugged her back, just as Freddie came up the steps off the beach and looked at them.

“What’s going on here?” asked Freddie, as he put himself in between the two of them and wrapping his arms around both of their shoulders. “You’re not teaming up to torture me are you?”

“Of course not,” said Molly as she got up , though she did turn her head and made a big show of winking at LeeAnne. “We’re not you and James.”

“I would be worried if I were you,” said Freddie as he put his hand on LeeAnne’s stomach. “I think Lucy is trying to take my place, she and James have been joined at the hip the last few weeks.”

Lucy had told Molly all about her breakdown a few weeks ago, they had laid on the bottom bunk and cried and talked about everything they had missed in the last month. Molly officially being in remission and Lucy’s school troubles.

It had very cleansing and fulfilling for the pair of them, it also reminded Molly of how much she missed Lucy. It had been so long since they had sat and talked and hadn’t worried about hurting each other.

Molly walked into the house and into the kitchen, where her dad and Uncle George were sitting at the kitchen island, papers in front of them, and their heads together. They had spent every afternoon like this, from one to three they did what they needed to keep the business a float while they were gone, the rest of the time they spent with the family.

“Hi Uncle George, hi daddy,” said Molly as she kissed both of their cheeks. “How are things going?”

“Great,” said Uncle George with a smile and a quick squeeze of Lucy’s shoulder. “We’re still making money and Clara’s got everything under control.”

“She’s even keeping the receipts in order by the time they came in,” said Percy as he turned his head and kissed Molly’s forehead. “How have the baby names been coming along?”

“Were you eavesdropping?” asked Molly, already knowing the answer, her dad and uncles were extremely nosy.

“Of course not,” said Uncle George winking at her, “now why don’t you go see what the others are doing? We’ll be done soon and we’ll go get some ice cream.”

“Okay,” said Molly, turning and leaving them to put their heads back together. She was ready for a quick nap anyways.

~`~

Audrey laid in bed, curled up and red with her own sunburn. Percy was starfished across the bed and snoring, Audrey had covered him in frozen burn heal potions and told him to try to sleep. She had hoped that it would help them feel closer together, but it wasn’t having that affect. 

They had dinner in almost complete silence, only talking when their waiter came around to take their food order and ask how it was. They had walked back to the rental in silence, both of them tired and sore.

She got up and walked downstairs to the kitchen and out the backdoor. She walked down the steps to the sand and then out to the edge of the water. The waves lapped up against her feet, warm and peaceful.

Audrey reached down and took off her night gown, she threw it behind her and walked forward into the water. The last time she had gone skinny dipping she had been fifteen and drunk for the first time. It had been after the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric Diggary had just been killed and Ernie and Hannah had gone to Hogsmeade and brought back a few bottles of Firewhiskey for them. They had drank to Cedric’s memory and Susan had joked about going skinny dipping in the Black Lake.

Audrey had been the first one to strip.

The water felt nice against her skin, cooling from the sunburn.

“Audrey!” called Percy from the shore and Audrey turned to look at him. He was standing in just his boxers, bright in the moonlight. “Audrey! What are you doing?”

She wanted to sink down under the water and stay there until she couldn’t anymore. She turned away from the shore and dove under the water.

Audrey swam downward and put her hands into the sand on the ocean floor. She felt a pair of hands grab her and pull her upwards. She and Percy broke the surface a moment later, Audrey still had sand in her hands.

“What are you doing?” yelled Percy once they came up. “I woke up and you were gone! Have you been out here this whole time?”

Audrey stared at him, his face always looked naked without his glasses on. Normally he looked happy and peaceful, this was the first time she ever saw him look so angry. 

“I’m swimming Percy,” snapped Audrey, “I’m enjoying myself, on my vacation.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Percy, squinting at her.

“I mean that this is was the first time I’ve enjoyed myself since we came out here!” yelled Audrey, pushing herself away from him. “You’ve been driving me crazy since we came out here!”

Percy was quiet, his face slowly breaking, and Audrey swam back over to him. “I’m sorry, Audrey.”

Audrey was quiet, she swam forward and wrapped her arms around Percy’s neck. For the first time in their relationship, they were the same height, on the same level. Audrey still felt small though.

“We should have a baby right now,” said Percy and Audrey wanted to kick him, they had talked about this over and over again, and she was tired of it.

“I know,” said Audrey throwing her hands up in the air, “I know that we should have a son! I know that I failed!”

“You didn’t fail Audrey,” said Percy, squinting at her again, “you had a miscarriage.”

“I know!” yelled Audrey, “I know what happened Percy! I’m the one who almost died!”

She started to swim back to the shore, standing and walking when she got close enough. She picked up her nightgown, but just kept walking up the steps and into the house. Percy met up with her in the bedroom as she headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

“Audrey,” said Percy, as he put his hand on her arm, keeping her still. “What’s wrong with us?”

“I don’t know Percy,” said Audrey, feeling sick to her stomach. “We’re not clicking together like we used to. I don’t know if it’s because of losing baby Lucas or because of Freddie and Roxanne and James. I don’t know what happened to us.”

“I didn’t know that I was hurting you Audrey,” said Percy leaning forward to press his forehead to her’s. “I didn’t realize I was so upset about baby Lucas until I heard about Freddie, Roxanne, and James. I’m sorry.”

Audrey kissed him and pressed her body to his. They fell backwards into the bed, falling into each other for the first time in a long time. 

They would wake up later, happy and warm and fulfilled for the first time in months. Audrey would not get pregnant and Percy would not become a father from this night.

But they would come back together.

~`~

Lucy woke up with her hair in her face, her mouth dry, and a feeling of being out of time. Molly was gone, her half of the bed cold. Lucy climbed out of bed and put on her glasses. She quickly changed and then headed downstairs to the kitchen.

It was like an unspoken Weasley tradition, the kitchen was the center of any family gathering and the main meeting place. Molly sat on the counter with Dominique beside her, Rose stood by the island with Scorpius, Al, and Becca surrounding her. James, Katie, Freddie, LeeAnne, and Lorcan and Lysander sat at the long table, LeeAnne’s list of names in front of them. Lucy could see Lily, Hugo, Louis, Ali Longbottom, and Remus all sitting out of the porch.

The only people missing were their parents.

Lucy walked to the sink and got a glass of water, downed it all, then filled it again and took a large sip before turning to Molly. “Where are mum and dad?”

“All the parents went to town for dinner,” said Dominique, jumping off the counter. “They gave us money and Rose already ordered pizza for all of us.”

“They gave us enough money to feed all of us?” asked Lucy and Dominique shrugged.

“I don’t know, Rosie has the money,” said Dominique and Lucy nodded before she climbed up next to Molly. 

Lucy and Molly were no strangers to take-out, on nights when their dad was supposed to cook he ordered out. On nights that their father worked late and their mum wasn’t feeling like cooking they ordered out. They always acted like it was a big secret, but Molly and Lucy thought it was more funny than not. 

“Has anyone heard from Roxanne yet?” called Hugo from outside the door, he was bouncing his football off of his knee while walking up and down the steps.

Roxanne was taken to St. Mungo’s the day before after she collapsed just outside the steps. No one knew what happened or why it happened, but Lucy was worried about her. Molly had another check-up at St. Mungo’s before Lucy went back to Hogwarts and they already planned to sneak around and find out where Roxanne was. 

“She’s not coming back to Hogwarts,” said Freddie, from his seat. “I don’t know when she’ll be out of St. Mungo’s.”

The doorbell went off from the front door and Rose left to go fetch their food. Lucy and Molly jumped down and grabbed out plates for everyone, taking them to the island. Al and Scorpius grabbed drinks out of the fridge, while Becca and Dominique grabbed cups for everyone.

Rose came back with a stack of pizzas and set them down on the island. Then everything fell into chaos, everyone began grabbing plates and pizza slices and cups of juice and pop.

Lucy slipped out to the porch swing with a plate of pizza slices while Molly came out with drinks for the pair of them. They sat on the swing and ate their food while watching the sunset.

“It’s so hot,” said Molly as she took a sip of her drink. “I don’t know how you can stand it Lucy.”

Lucy loved the heat, she felt warm and cozy; summer was her favorite time of year. She also loved the beach trip, this year was hotter than the year before and Lucy was enjoying it.

“You’re going to be more freckles than not,” said Molly as she began to rock them in the swing. “Has Devon texted you yet?”

Lucy reached into her pocket and pulled out her fyre, she hadn’t checked it since before her little nap. Her screen was blank, with no new texts or calls. Dominique came out and they made room for her to sit beside Molly, then they went back to rocking in the swing.

“I can’t believe that Hugo would bring up Roxanne in front of Freddie,” said Dominique before taking a large bite of her pizza. “It’s almost like he wants to start a fight.”

Lucy sighed, she was more than used to having conversations with Dominique with her mouth full of food. “Aunt Angelina and Uncle George said that she would be okay, just that we wouldn’t see her for a while.”

“I overheard Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny saying that she had been starving herself,” said Dominique and Lucy could feel Molly tense up beside her. 

“It’s disgusting,” said Molly, tucking herself in beside Lucy. “I’m puking my guts out because I’m being poisoned, and she’s doing it willingly.”

“I don’t think it’s like that Molly,” said Lucy as she took another bite of her pizza. “I think she’s sick too.”

Lucy stared out at the water, she understood why Molly was upset and why Dominique wanted to talk about it, but Lucy didn’t quite know what to think about the matter. She had barely seen Roxanne at all this year, but Lucy had kept herself quite distracted also.

“How long is she going to be at St. Mungo’s?” asked Molly, before taking a sip of her drink.

“I don’t know,” said Dominique, turning to watch the ocean, “Auntie said it could be a few weeks or a month or even a year.”

“That’s not helpful,” said Lucy, holding a piece of pizza in her hand. “That’s not a timeline.”

“It’s the same thing mum and dad told me,” said Molly with an annoyed eye roll. “She’ll be stuck there till at least the end of the summer.”

“You don’t know that,” said Lucy, then the door behind them banged open as James walked out, followed behind by Hugo and Lily and Katie.

“We’re all going to go get ice cream,” said James as the others came out the door and went down the stairs. “My treat.”

“I can do ice cream,” said Dominique stopping their rocking and jumping out of her seat. Lucy and Molly followed after her, walking down to the beach with the others.

The three of them followed behind as most of the others surged forward. James, was in the front while Lily, Hugo, and their friend’s trialed just behind. Lucy linked her arm with Molly’s as the started walking on the sidewalk. 

“I think I’ll get strawberry tonight,” said Molly, all of her past annoyance and anger was gone. “Or maybe chocolate, what about you?”

“I don’t know, probably chocolate,” said Lucy, as she felt a slight tug at her side. She turned and allowed Dominique to loop her arm in hers. 

It was the perfect night on the beach, warm, happy, and soon they would have ice cream.

“Roxanne will be okay,” decided Lucy, as she pulled Molly and Dominique back to her. “She’s a Weasley, she’ll fight to the end.”

~`~

Percy counted and recounted the till, he was coming up with different numbers each time and he wasn’t sure if his eyes were tired or if he was losing his mind. He started a third count and heard the bell at the front door go off, then the slam as the door closed. It was well passed closing, but Percy always kept the door unlocked until he left.

Sometimes they had kids come in while their parents were still at dinner, they would wander around and look at products, then leave once they saw their parents walk by. Percy would do one last walk through and straighten any off kilter items.

“Hello,” called a voice from two aisles over. Percy stopped his counting and turned his head to see Audrey coming out of the aisle.

“Hello,” said Percy as she walked towards him.

She smiled as she walked up to the front counter, Percy couldn’t help but match her smile. She was so bright and he couldn’t help but to match her happiness.

“We met earlier today at lunch, I’m Audrey Phillips,” said Audrey as she held out her hand for him to shake.

“Percy Weasley, it’s very nice to officially meet you,” Percy told her, taking her hand. He felt a shock run up his arm from where their hands met. When she pulled away, he was left with a tingling in his hand.

“Minister Shacklebolt asked me to bring this to George Weasley,” said Audrey as she pulled an envelope out of her purse, “the minister told me that he works here and should drop it off.”

“Owl duty then?” asked Percy with a small laugh, Audrey rolled her eyes, but didn’t stop smiling.

“I don’t live too far from here,” said Audrey, dryly, “but yes, I’m on owl duty.”

“Scrimgeour used to make me do that for him,” said Percy without really thinking, “I hated it, just use an actual owl.”

Audrey laughed at this, and Percy couldn’t help but think that it sounded nice. He wanted to make her do it again; just maybe not on accident.

“So you’re the Weasley who used to have my job,” said Audrey, her smile slipping away, “I’m sorry you were let go.”

“I used to be the junior assistant, but it turned out to not be for me,” Percy explained, feeling his ears grow warm. “It turned out the Ministry wasn’t always on the right side.”

“Considering they were hunting down people like me because we apparently stole our magic,” said Audrey in an annoyed tone, “I would have to agree.”

“I’m sorry,” Percy told her, meaning it with all of his being. If only she knew all of the work he put into getting Muggleborns and their families out of the country. “I’m sorry about all of that.”

“Well,” said Audrey, calmer now, “it’s not like you were leading the charges and raids.”

“No,” said Percy, putting an end to it, “of course not.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Audrey, and then came the return of her smile. Percy felt himself grow warm again, but this time for a different reason.

“You can leave Kingsley’s letter here,” said Percy, “or if you want I’m meeting George and Angelina for dinner tonight and can bring it along.”

“Either or will be fine,” said Audrey as she handed Percy the envelope. “It was very nice to meet you Mr. Weasley.”

“Please, call me Percy, it gets too confusing with so many of us,” Percy told her, once again returning her smile.

“Then from now on call me Audrey,” she told him, holding her hand out once more.

“It been a pleasure Audrey,” said Percy as he shook her hand once again.

“The same, Percy.”

Percy pocketed the envelope, then watched as she disappeared back in between the aisles. He didn’t stop staring until he heard the bell go off and the door slam shut a second time.

Behind him, the curtain to the back room opened and George came out.

“Was someone just here?” asked George as Percy started counting the till all over again. He leaned up against the counter beside the cash register and watched Percy.

“Yes, Audrey stopped by for a letter for you,” Percy explained, as he pulled the envelope out of his pocket.

“Audrey?” asked George as he opened the envelope, “first name basis now?”

“Yes,” Percy told him as he finished up his count, he had been right the first time.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this red before Perce,” said George as he pocketed the letter and headed back to the back room. “It’s not like you’ll marry the girl.”

That was true, but Percy wasn’t a seer, he didn’t know what the future would hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the story is starting to come full circle, Percy meeting Audrey for the first time (which was the first seen I wrote for this story), Audrey working through her emotions of losing Lucas, and Molly and Lucy being honest with each other.


	11. Spring - May 2nd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day spent in the remembrance of those who fought and lost their lives during both wars and especially the Battle of Hogwarts.
> 
> Audrey and Percy mourn their brothers with the help of their brothers. Lucy spends the day with her family and Devon's family, including her Uncle Rory and Uncle Liam. Molly finally talks to Roxanne at St. Mungo's before she comes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of self harm, bulimia, anorexia, and victim blaming
> 
> This chapter ties in to the story 'I Feel Pretty' which is about Roxanne's fight with the above warning. It's not needed to read the story, but if you're interested you can find it on my Author's page!
> 
> To skip over those sections, just skip both of Molly's pov's, they are the first section and the section right after Percy.
> 
> I also have an end note about future projects/and the upcoming sequel to this work! Thank you for reading!  
> ~Harry

** Chapter Eleven: May 2nd **

Molly stared up at the ceiling, today was her last day at St. Mungo’s. Her parents were coming tomorrow to bring her home. She still didn’t have the all clear to go back to Hogwarts, but she was sure that she would, at the very least, be able to go back next year.

She hoped, at least.

Molly couldn’t even begin to think about another year not at school, not with Lucy or Dominique, or Rose and Lily, or Louis and Hugo. She also wanted to actually enjoy her relationship with Artie in more than just texts or calls or the rare visit.

She wanted to go to school, she had since she was told that she couldn’t. She wanted to sit her exams and be with her family, her cousins and friends. She wanted to get into a fight with Aria Dorres, her least favorite dorm mate. She wanted to sleep in her lumpy dorm bed or sneak into the Ravenclaw dorms and crawl into Lucy’s lumpy bed.

She wanted her life back, and she was _so_ close.

Molly climbed out of bed and walked out of the room. She did have one last thing to do while she was still stuck in St. Mungo’s.

She walked down the hallways of the ward, tracing her way to a familiar door. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to go in, to even knock.

Molly reached a hand up and knocked quietly, then she crossed her fingers, hoping to not hear an answer. She waited bouncing on her heels, one, two, three.

“Come in,” said a voice from the other side.

Molly slowly opened the door, her fingers felt cold and she was nervous, more than she needed to be. Family was family after all.

“Hi Roxanne,” said Molly as she came in. She looked at the small bed and found Roxanne laying under the covers, staring up at the ceiling.

It was May, Molly was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, ever since they headed out to the beach, she started to feel better. She started to feel warm and like herself again. It was shocking to see Roxanne bundled up on her bed with blankets and her sweater pulled up to her neck.

“Hi Molly,” said Roxanne, sitting up and wrapping herself up tight. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m going home tomorrow,” Molly told her as she sat down in the seat beside Roxanne’s bed. This all felt strange and unsettling to her, she was used to having visitors, not being the visitor.

“Oh,” said Roxanne quietly, and Molly couldn’t help but notice how thin her face was. She didn’t know how she didn’t notice how much Roxanne had changed over the year.

“I’m probably not going back to school though,” said Molly and Roxanne nodded.

“That makes two of us,” whispered Roxanne and just like that, she was crying.

It wasn’t that Molly wasn’t used to seeing her family cry or be upset, it was just that she wasn’t used to seeing _Roxanne_ like this. Roxanne was always so strong, so in control of herself. Molly loved Roxanne _like_ an older sister, she was the closest thing she _had_ to an older sister.

Molly wasn’t much of a crier, but she felt tears in her eyes, they were both supposed to be at school right now. Roxanne was supposed to be doing her History of Magic speech, while Molly should’ve been leading a walking tour.

She was supposed to be walking around with her parents and uncles and aunts and cousins. She wanted to see Minister Kingsley, who had been a staple in their home long after Audrey had left the Ministry.

She had wanted her parents to meet Artie, for Lucy to meet him.

Today was supposed to be a celebration in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the battle of Hogwarts. Molly could list names and names and names of those who had passed. She could list their names, their ages, their occupations, she knew their families, their friends, what they had done during the war.

It used to be like a nursery rhyme when she was young, the memorization of facts and names. Now it was an assignment, the sixth and seventh years now chose who to study and give an oral essay about their lives before and during the war, all of them ending in either the first and second war.

Molly wiped at her eyes and shifted in her chair so she was sitting on her feet. “It’ll be okay.”

“I was supposed to graduate!” sobbed Roxanne, surprising Molly, “I’m supposed to take my NEWTs and start my internship at St. Mungo’s.”

They both knew that some of those things couldn’t happen anymore, Roxanne would be able to take her NEWTs and she would technically still graduate. But she wouldn’t be able to intern at St. Mungo’s, the long hours Healers worked would make it easy for Roxanne to relapse her eating disorder.

Lucy had written her with the final word, told to her by Dominique who overheard it from her parents. Dominique’s ability to be unnoticed while eavesdropping was legendary in the family. She was often sent in to spy on the adults during family get togethers.

“You’ll still be able to Roxanne,” Molly told her, getting off of her seat and crossing the foot or so distance to sit at the end of Roxanne’s bed. “Not everything’s ruined.”

“Says you,” said Roxanne, as she rubbed at her eyes. “I don’t know what happened to me.”

“You stopped eating Roxanne,” said Molly, feeling herself get warm.

“You don’t understand,” said Roxanne, and Molly felt herself grow warmer with anger.

“I understand that you stopped eating, when I was puking my guts out because I was being poisoned!” said Molly hotly, she was suddenly so angry that she was sure that her face was red. “I understand that you were scarring yourself while I was being stabbed with needles several times a day!”

She jumped off the bed and began pacing, feeling Roxanne’s eyes on her.

“It wasn’t like that,” said Roxanne so quietly that Molly could barely hear her.

“How wasn’t it?” asked Molly, though she kept going before Roxanne could answer. “You were actively trying to kill yourself while I was in here dying!”

The door to the room burst opened and in walked a Healer that Molly didn’t recognize.

“Roxanne, who is this?” asked the Healer, as she closed the door behind her.

“My little cousin Molly,” said Roxanne, and Molly knew that she definitely stepped on a few toes. “She was just leaving though, right Molly?”

“I wasn’t actually,” said Molly, walking back to the chair and taking a seat again. “In fact I was asking her why she put herself in here.”

“Then I’ll have to ask you to leave, if Roxanne doesn’t want to share why she’s here then it not for you to ask,” said the Healer, and Molly stood up again.

“Fine,” said Molly, walking to the door, “but Roxanne, you should know that what you did was selfish, and I would’ve given anything to be at Hogwarts this last year.”

Molly slammed the door shut behind her and walked back through the halls to her room. But as soon as she got back to her room, all of her anger, all of the fight, left her. She fell down face first on her bed and started to cry.

This wasn’t what she wanted, any of it.

~`~

Audrey stood in front of the library, right in the spot where Lucas was killed.

There were somedays that she couldn’t get out of bed, she would cry for hours and hours and not be able to move. Rory would come in and make her get up and eat, or he would crawl in under the covers and cry and take a nap with her.

They bonded together over their loss, as they bonded over everything now.

It was just the two of them now, had been for the last five years. No parents, no Lucas, no one except for each other. They did have the Greengrass family, they took them in during the war, giving them room and board in their guest house. Lucas and Rory did yard maintenance and kitchen work, while Audrey worked as a waitress in a small diner in town. They only stayed because they had run out of money and the car had finally broken down.

It had been easy for them to disappear into the Muggle world. They were Muggleborns, they seamlessly fell into the world they had left at eleven.

Audrey had to work that day, she had come home to find Rory asleep and Lucas gone. A note left on the table for her, when Rory woke up, they waited together. It wasn’t until a day later, that the list was announced over the radio.

Names and names and names, listed along with ages and occupations and Hogwarts houses. Audrey had cried when she heard of Megan and Wayne’s deaths. The last she had heard of them, they had just started dating, she would later hear from Hannah that Wayne had proposed a few days before the battle.

Then came Lucas’ name.

Audrey didn’t remember any of the names that came after, neither did Rory. They had cried and held one another and cried until the tears couldn’t come anymore. They attended the funeral, everyone they knew did, and even more that they didn’t.

It was like saying goodbye to their parents all over again. They hadn’t been able to attend that funeral, but it didn’t hurt any less.

“Audrey?” said Rory as he pried her now cold white fingers off of the doorknob. “The Minister is about to give his speech.”

She already knew this, she had given him a copy of it less than an hour ago. She had another two copies in her purse, and another one under his plate that he had been sitting at. The truth was that she had it memorized herself.

“I’ve already heard it,” said Audrey, as Rory started to pull her behind him. “I helped write it.”

“Audrey,” said Rory, stopping just around the corner from the library. “We talked about this. We go through this every year. He would want us to let go.”

“Rory,” whispered Audrey, not knowing how to tell him that she would never be able to let go. Lucas was only his older brother, but he was her twin, they were linked in a way Rory would never understand. “I’m not leaving him.”

“Rey,” said Rory so quietly that Audrey had to strain to hear him, “he left us. He left us to go be the hero. He left us to go fight and didn’t bother to tell us he was going!”

The sudden burst of Rory’s anger, the change in his volume made her jump and the hair on her arms stand up straight. Rory was always so happy go lucky, but for the first time in her life, he had scared her.

Audrey was speechless as Rory dropped her hand and left her.

They never fought, it was the two of them verse the world. It just wasn’t logical to fight against the only person who had gone through the same troubles as you. They had the same background, same experiences, and the same life just slightly altered.

She walked back to the library and held the door handle until her hand grew numb and cold. Audrey missed Lucas, she always would.

Audrey let go of the door handle and sat down with her back against the door. She felt closer to Lucas sitting on the floor, it was the last place he was alive, the last breath he took before the stray curse hit him.

“Audrey, I’m sorry,” said Rory standing in front of her, again, “I miss him too, and I know it’s because I didn’t get to even say goodbye. At least you got one last hug and kiss that morning.”

Audrey moved over a little, her back still to the door as Rory sat down beside her. It was the two of them against the world now, no parents, no Lucas, just the two of them.

~`~

Lucy saw her parents first.

Her father stood tall, as all the Weasley men did. He was the tallest of his siblings, with Uncle Ron just half an inch shorter. He was wearing black robes that she only ever saw him wear during the anniversary. The only thing that seem out of place was his Hogwarts tie around his neck.

Her mother stood beside him in black and blue, with her Hufflepuff tie around her neck. She had her arm looped through her father’s and together they were looking around the room.

Almost all of her aunts and uncles and her friends parents were walking around the Great Hall looking for their children. All of them wearing their old Hogwarts ties.

It had been her mother’s idea, or at least she was the first one to do it. All those years ago she had accidentally worn her Hufflepuff tie up in her hair during that first anniversary ceremony. Now all of the alumni wore them.

Lucy stood up from her seat and went to greet her parents.

“Mum! Dad!” yelled Lucy as she threw herself into their arms. Even though she had just seen them a few weeks ago during break, she missed them. It seemed to go both ways as they hugged her tightly.

“Oh Lucy dear, how are you?” asked Audrey as they walked out of the Great Hall and the crowded Entrance Hall to just outside the large double doors. There was more room and less people standing around, taking up space.

“I’m good mummy,” said Lucy as Audrey pulled her into a more proper hug and kissed her forehead. “I’ve missed you both.”

“We’ve missed you too,” said Percy as Lucy wrapped her arms tightly around him. “It really isn’t the same having you both gone.”

Lucy loosened her grip, but still held onto her father, while he petted her hair. She felt like a small child, but in a comforting way.

“Is Molly coming?” Lucy asked, even though she already knew the answer, having heard it from Molly not that long ago when she woke up to a lengthy text message.

“You already know,” said Audrey, which was the best way to say no. “But if I’m not mistaken, I see your Uncle Rory and Uncle Liam coming to meet us.”

Lucy turned her head and pulled away from her father to meet her uncles. “Uncle Rory! Uncle Liam!” she called as she made a beeline towards them. Uncle Rory picked her up and twirled them around just as he always did, before putting her back down on her feet for Uncle Liam to hug her around his crutches.

“This is amazing,” whispered Uncle Liam as Lucy led him over to her parents. “You really go to school here?”

Lucy giggled, he asked that question every year since he started coming along. Uncle Liam was a Muggle who Uncle Rory had hired to run the stationary shop her grandparents had once owned. After a few disastrous events, including the injury that disabled Uncle Liam and two failed attempts of resigning, Uncle Rory and Uncle Liam had _finally_ started dating. It had taken another ten years and for the legislation to finally pass for them to get married. Lucy and Molly had been flower girls even though they were too old for the job, but their mum had walked Uncle Rory down the aisle and had been his ‘best man’.

“Yes Uncle Liam,” answered Lucy as they reached her parents. “We all went to school here.”

“Two of us even graduated,” said Uncle Rory as he threw his arm around Audrey’s shoulders.

“And yet I’m the only one here who doesn’t have to work,” said Audrey elbowing her little brother in the side, only to receive a small yelp and an eye roll in return.

“Married rich,” said Uncle Rory, winking at Lucy.

“If I remember correctly,” said Percy as he put an arm around Lucy’s shoulders, sandwiching her between him and Uncle Liam, “you’re still receiving maternity pay.”

“That’s correct,” said Audrey with a laugh, “and if we want to keep receiving it, then we need to go greet Minister Royal.”

Lucy smiled, usually she saw Minister Royal a few times a year, during the anniversary ceremony, a few times when he stopped by for dinner during the summer, and at the Ministry’s annual Christmas party. They had missed the Christmas party this last year, with Molly being sick, but Minister Royal understood the situation.

Lucy led her Uncle Liam into the Entrance Hall, just in front of her family. He had been to Hogwarts before, but while her parents and Uncle Rory still knew their way around, Uncle Liam would get lost in a heartbeat.

“Lucy!”

Lucy turned her head and found Devon waving at her with his family, his parents, older sisters, and his newborn nephew. She led Uncle Liam behind her as they walked through the crowd.

“Hey,” said Devon, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“Hi,” whispered Lucy a little breathlessly, “you left so early this morning.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, before turning to Uncle Liam. “Hello, I’m Devon Jordan.”

“Liam Fitz-Phillips,” said Uncle Liam shaking Devon’s hand as he balanced himself on one of his crutches. “I take it you must be the boyfriend.”

Devon smiled wide and Lucy felt Uncle Rory put a hand on her shoulder. “This is my Uncle Rory too.”

“Healer Rory Fitz-Phillips,” said Uncle Rory, also shaking Devon’s hand. “Lucy’s written to us all about you.”

Lucy felt her ears turn red and turned around her head to try to find her parents. It didn’t take long, they had snuck around her and were talking to Devon’s parents, all smiles and laughs.

Devon’s father had been Lucy’s Uncles George and Fred’s best friend back when they were in school. He was still good friends with Uncle George. Mr. Jordan was also one of the WWN’s most popular DJ’s, and he also did commentary for all of the Puddlemere games and all of the Quidditch interviews.

Her uncles both got called over by her parents, leaving Lucy and Devon together.

Maria, Devon’s oldest sister, along with Evelynn and Cara, all pounced on the pair of them with the parents distracted.

“So you’re Lucy,” said Maria as she shifted her son in her arms. “We weren’t sure that you even existed, Devvie was keeping you a secret.”

Lucy giggled, watching as his cheeks started to grow darker.

“We actually thought that he was ace because he refused to tell us anything,” said Cara with her own giggle.

“Correction,” said Evelynn, with a large smile, “you thought that he was ace, I said he was gay.”

Devon rolled his eyes, completely forgetting that he was embarrassed. “I told you all that I have a girlfriend, just because I didn’t go overboard-“

“You told dad that you had a girlfriend,” cut in Cara, “mum told us.”

“We only knew it was Lucy because Evan and I were over when Angelina and George came to dinner,” said Maria, adjusting her son in her arms again.

“What’s his name?” asked Lucy, leaning forward slightly to look at Devon’s baby nephew.

“Aaron,” answered Maria, as Lucy came closer, “here, hold him for me.”

Lucy gladly took baby Aaron, he was small in her arms, but he fit nicely there. She felt Devon rest his head on her shoulder, both of them looking down at his nephew.

Aaron looked a lot like Devon, which was to say like his sisters. He had a dark complexion with a small round nose and chubby cheeks, he had light brown eyes and dark hair that felt soft and warm against her palm. He couldn’t quite focus on anything quite yet, staring up at her forehead and nose instead of her eyes.

Lucy smiled down at baby Aaron as she patted his butt with one hand, a trick that one of the Junior Healers had taught her.

“Looks like I found a babysitter,” said Maria as she took back Aaron. “At least for the summer.”

Lucy smiled at her, as suddenly a very tall man walked up behind Maria. Without thinking, Lucy smiled up at him.

“Hi Evan!” she said, as he wrapped his arms around Maria’s waist.

“Hello Lucy, been a while since you’ve been to a game,” said Evan, as he shook her hand.

Evan was the oldest of the Wood children, but Lucy hadn’t known he had married Maria Jordan. Last she knew, he wasn’t even seeing anyone, let alone married with a son.

Today, it seemed, was going to be full of surprises.

~`~

Percy sat in front of the window where Fred was killed.

Five years had passed and he still couldn’t believe that his little brother was gone.

The rest of the family was sitting down in the Great Hall, listening to Kingsley and McGonagall and Harry talk about the war. He knew that Harry didn’t want to do it, he wasn’t one to relive in the tragedy of the war.

Percy on the other hand was always reminded of what he did for his family. How he sacrificed his own wellbeing, his family, and his own sanity to protect those he loved.

He had been in the stands during the third task, he had watched as Harry reappeared with Cedric Diggory’s dead body and screamed about Voldemort’s return. He had felt every part of him say no, but the rest of him knew differently, knew that Harry didn’t lie, couldn’t lie. It was all too serious.

He sat back against wall and thought about where all of it had begun.

Percy had been born third. His parents had seven, and he was the third. He was the quietest of the seven, he followed the rules, and he took care of both his older and younger siblings, whether they wanted him to or not.

He took care of his family, he did so well, that it was thought that he had betrayed them. What they didn’t know was that at the age of nineteen, the third Weasley son was visited by Albus Dumbledore and asked to give up his family for a higher cause. Dumbledore was all about higher causes.

While Dumbledore was busy collecting Aurors, Werewolves, and misfits of all types, he was also busy on collecting a family that he could use. A family like the Weasley’s that had so much influence on different parts of the whole Wizarding World.

His parents, Molly and Arthur were not shy about their allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix. His mother cooked and cleaned, she made potions, created surveillance spells, and worked as a Healer as she had once studied to be. His father had one foot in the Ministry and another in the Muggle world, he was quiet and smart, but loyal and caring to the point of self destruction.

They were sworn in quickly and without a doubt.

Though Percy knew that his mum joined to make peace with herself, peace for the brothers that she had lost, peace for the children and friends she might lose.

Next was the oldest of seven, William. He was the adventurer, the risk taker, and better preferred the name Bill to his given. Bill was smart, he was funny, and he was cool. He was everything that Percy had tried to be, but while Bill made it seem effortless, Percy couldn’t keep up.

Bill joined the Order because he had six younger siblings to look over. He joined because if something happened, he knew how to pick them up and escape as he once did.

The second of seven was Charlie, never Charles. He was the escape artist of the family. He could disappear without a trace, if he wanted he could never be seen by a human eye ever again. He joined in the hope of making a stance, of letting the world see him stand his ground.

Charlie joined the Order because he had heard stories from friends all around world about dark wizards. Charlie joined because he knew that when the time came, he would need to be there, he would need to have the bags ready for when Bill decided to run.

Four and five were the twins, Frederick and George were the ones that needed the most looking after, mainly because they always had each other. They were the pranksters, the jokers well needed to break up the seriousness in high tension situations. They brought joy in the darkest and harshest parts of the war, they even gave old Moody his last smile before his death.

Fred and George joined the Order to stand up to bullies. They were the only ones who could tease their siblings, real or adoptive. They also knew that if they needed to, they could disappear with the youngest if needed.

Six was Ronald, the youngest boy, the forgotten son. Ron never joined the Order, he spent a few months in meetings, a few months flying for missions, but almost a whole year at his friend’s side trying to get to the real source.

Ron would never join the Order, because he had already ran.

Seven of seven was Ginerva, or Ginny, the only girl. She was sweet and pretty and kind, but she wasn’t afraid to hex or punch or hurt like her six older brothers had taught her on late summer nights. Ginny was the first of seven to be born in peace time, in the quant and quiet years before the second war, she would also be the first to become of age after the war.

Ginny never joined the Order, she had already joined another rebel cause where she followed in her soulmates footsteps. She was the one who everyone worried would fall in the war, only to be the only one to come out standing on her own two feet.

Percy joined the Order because while his family was fighting for Dumbledore or Potter, he was fighting for Weasley and only Weasley. Percy was the third born, he saw two brothers disappear to new lands, and knew that the youngest four would need a watchful eye.

This is why the day after the war ended, Percy cleared his desk and never stepped foot in the Ministry of Magic again. He was no longer Dumbledore’s spy, and neither was he a pawn in the Ministry’s games.

He sat in front of the window where Fred had been killed and put his face into his hands and cried. He cried as he did every year, loudly and unashamedly. He missed Fred, he wished that he hadn’t taken all of Dumbledore’s orders to heart and kept in contact with his family.

“Perce,” said a voice, and he looked up at George kneeling in front of him. The rest of the family standing around them. “Everything alright?”

“It’s my fault,” he told George as he wiped at his eyes. “It should’ve been me.”

George pulled him up to his feet and hugged him tight. “That’s not true.”

“Sure it is,” said Percy without thinking, because it was what he told himself every day. “I’m the one who walked away from the family.”

“You came back though.”

This was the argument they had every year, it was all like clockwork. Percy would slip away as he always did and George would find him crying under that window. It was how they celebrated the day, it was how they remembered Fred.

“C’mon,” said George, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. “Let’s get this over with.”

~`~

Molly rolled over and wiped at her eyes, staring back up at the ceiling once again. She was so tired, so bored of staring up at the ceiling, of being stuck in St. Mungo’s.

She missed school and Lucy and her family and not being stuck in an uncomfortable bed at St. Mungo’s.

She shouldn’t have gotten angry at Roxanne, she didn’t deserve it. If someone had yelled at Molly about being sick, she… she would’ve reacted just like Roxanne had. She would’ve screamed and fought and called Lucy to her side.

She would’ve cried like a small child, just as she had. Just like Roxanne had.

Molly turned on her side and looked at the wall, she felt so small and hopeless. This last year had knocked her down over and over again, as her sickness always had. As Roxanne’s must have.

She climbed out of bed and did the one thing she always pushed off to the last second. She began packing her bags, back home she and Lucy would spend hours packing their trunks. At Hogwarts, Hugo would sit on her bed and watch her throw her things into her trunk while his was still unpacked.

She was good at unpacking, it was just the repacking that she struggled with. Lucy was the opposite, she was good at all of it, good at keeping her life organized in a way that Molly couldn’t. Molly threw all of her clothes on her bed and started folding them the Muggle way. It was soothing to her, even at her most frazzled she enjoyed folding her laundry.

After a few minutes she put on some music, Lucy had added some new music in the last few weeks. It was a lot of music that James and she was sure Devon listened to. Some of it wasn’t Molly’s taste and some of it she was sure that Devon had just put on there to make Lucy listen to.

Once her clothes were neatly folded and packed away she got to work packing up her books and photos. She put the last of her things in her trunk before finding a cleaning trolley and grabbing a clean rag to take with her back to her room.

She dusted and tidied up and when she felt like she was done, she laid down in bed. She felt tired staring up at the ceiling of her St. Mungo’s room for the last time, well hopefully the last time. She didn’t ever want to come back, want to be stuck in a ward for the rest of her life.

Just as she was starting to feel herself drift off, there was a knock on the door.

She didn’t move, just waited.

A moment later, the door opened and in walked Roxanne. She looked even thinner and more fragile standing with no blankets to keep her covered. Her clothes were hanging off of her body, and Molly could see they were Lucy’s and Lily’s. Roxanne had been three sizes bigger than Lucy, four more then Lily.

There was a haunted look to her now.

“I’m sorry,” said Roxanne as she took the seat by Molly’s bed. “I’m sorry I scared you and everyone else.”

Molly didn’t know how to respond, this was the truth, but she didn’t want to admit it. Roxanne had scared her, but Molly didn’t want to tell her that, she wanted to be angry about it.

Molly didn’t want Roxanne to be stuck like she had been. She didn’t want to see her cousin sick and hurting like she had been.

“I got a letter from Rose the other day,” said Roxanne, and Molly noticed that she seemed brighter than earlier. “She said that she’s sure everyone’s presentation will go well today.”

“Don’t you wish that you were there?” asked Molly, because she wanted to be.

“Yes,” said Roxanne, sounding more sure than Molly had heard from her in a long time, “but I can’t dwell on it.”

Molly was quiet, Roxanne was right and she should listen to her.

“At least that’s what Healer Zeller said.”

Molly did everything she could to not roll her eyes, she should’ve known better.

She didn’t know this Healer Zeller, but if she was helping Roxanne, then Molly could be happy for her.

~`~

Audrey sat down in front of Lucas’ grave, the ground was hard and cold underneath her, but she didn’t want it any other way. The sun was shining bright and warm overhead, and there were no clouds in sight; it was a perfect spring day.

Audrey never quite liked spring, it was an odd time of year for her. She felt like she shrunk in the spring while everyone else bloomed. It just wasn’t her cup of tea at all. She much preferred summer and autumn and winter to springtime.

Rory sat down beside her and began talking, they had never gone to visit their parent’s graves, it was just too much for both of them. Their childhood home, the village, the stationary shop, it was too much to stand.

She let Rory talk, it was calming to both of them. Rory was a great storyteller, and telling Lucas all about the last year was his way of saying goodbye and that he missed him. Audrey could do so with no words, she and Lucas never needed to talk, they always knew what the other was thinking.

Rory went on and on, and Audrey took the time to look around. Some graves got more visitors than others, some were crowded with people the same age as her, others by older couples, and some by young children.

Audrey saw down the row from them was Mrs. Tonks with her young grandson Teddy. She liked Teddy, Harry Potter brought him around whenever he was between missions. Audrey made sure she always had a bit of chocolate for him to nibble on at her desk.

At the other end of the row was the Weasley family, Audrey didn’t know the Weasley family well. Arthur was nice and so was Ron, but she didn’t know any of the others. Rory had been in the same year and house as Ginny, and Audrey knew they had gotten along. Rory pulled people to himself, bringing them in closer, making friends even when they had nothing in common.

Audrey stood up and walked pass Rory where he sat to touch Lucas’ gravestone. She traced the letters of his name, then his date of birth and date of death. It matched all the others around them, May 2, 1998.

The words underneath were not ones that she would’ve choose for Lucas. That had been the only thing that she and Rory had agreed upon when it came to Lucas’ funeral.

_Son, Brother, Warrior_. They weren’t the right words, Lucas had never been a fighter, let alone a warrior. Lucas who used to go to town meetings with their father at the age of three, who decided at six he wanted to be the Prime Minister, and at twelve to be the Minister of Magic. _Son, Brother, Civil Servant_. That was Lucas, it was who he had been.

Audrey stepped away from the gravestone and sat back down beside Rory. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and held him close, she was missing one brother, but at least she could hold the other one close.

~`~

Lucy walked hand in hand with Devon as she led her parents, uncles, and Devon’s family around the castle. All around them, the sixth and seventh years were preforming their oral history reports for their final exam. They littered the halls, the corridors, the classrooms, and the grounds. Each of them sharing the stories of those who died in the first and second wars.

It was a tradition that started five years after the war.

The year after the war, sixth and seventh years were taught modern History of Magic by each of the Heads of Houses. Lucy knew this because her Uncle Rory and Aunt Ginny would talk about it, but none of her other aunts and uncles or her parents did.

Then after five years, it was decided that all of the students would research one of the fallen, from their birth to their Hogwarts life and sometimes career after to their death.

Sixth years got to draw a name out of a hat, while seventh years were allowed to pick whoever they wanted. If they didn’t have a name by Halloween, then they picked out of a hat.

But either way, they got at least seven months to study up. It was also before their normal exams, so they didn’t have to worry about studying for History of Magic.

Some of the presentations were really good, while others were obviously thrown together at the last second. Lucy was nervous to do it herself, she wasn’t one for public speaking.

But hopefully next year Molly would be there.

They watched Rose and her friend Becca Havings presentations, which were good and well-rehearsed. Then they found Scorpius and watched his, staying after so Lucy’s parents and uncles could talk to Scorpius’ parents.

“Lucy dear, how have you been?” asked Auntie Astoria as she pulled her into a hug. “I know it’s been a hard year.”

“I’m well Auntie,” Lucy told her as she pulled away, before turning to grab Devon’s hand and turn him around. “This is my boyfriend Devon Jordan.”

She really didn’t want to talk about how her year had been. It wasn’t over yet, there were still exams, her OWLs to take, and she still had to sit through graduation for James and Freddie and LeeAnne. She still had her birthday coming up, still had to ride the train back to Kings Cross.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” said Astoria as she shook Devon’s hand, smiling at him. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

Lucy blushed, she had probably been too excited when she wrote to Auntie Astoria about Devon, but Auntie Astoria matched her energy in Lucy’s letters and she needed that this last year. Auntie Astoria was one of her favorite people to write too, even if she never seemed satisfied when Lucy didn’t answer all of her questions.

“The same,” said Devon returning her smile, “Lucy has told me quite a bit about you and your family.”

“Please tell me she didn’t bore you about my husband,” said Astoria as her husband, Draco turned around at the mention of him.

“Excuse me?” asked Draco as he grabbed Astoria’s hand.

“Draco this is Devon Jordan, Lucy’s boyfriend,” said Astoria and Lucy felt herself grow a little nervous. Uncle Draco was a bit harder to impress, but Lucy was sure that he would like Devon.

“It’s nice to meet you,” said Draco as he shook Devon’s hand.

“Thank you,” said Devon, shaking his hand.

Lucy smiled at her Uncle Draco, she wasn’t very close with him, not like her Auntie Astoria. Her mum was still wary of him now, even though he wasn’t the same person he had been in Hogwarts. Lucy knew the stories, but it was hard to believe.

Uncle Draco wasn’t mean or cruel or annoying as he once had been. Lucy knew that people changed, this last year more than proved it.

“Hey, thanks for coming,” said Scorpius as he put his arm around Lucy’s shoulders.

Lucy turned and gave him a quick hug before he pulled away from her to hug his parents.

“Hey Devon,” said Scorpius after he finished greeting his parents, holding out his fist to fist bump Devon. Devon returned the gesture with a smile.

Lucy smiled, today was about bringing everyone together to remember those who they lost. She was without an uncle and a set of grandparents on her mother’s side of the family, and without an uncle on her father’s side.

But the war had brought her two aunts, a new set of grandparents, and she still had more family than she could count.

As sad as today was, it was still a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So only one more chapter and the epilogue! I'm very excited and also sad that this story is coming to an end, I have always loved this family and am happy to say that I do have a sequel/companion piece written all about Molly and Artie. It's set about five/six years after this story, and that's all I'm going to share for now.
> 
> It was my NaNoWriMo last year and I'm excited to start posting it during November of this year, while I work on my Hugo Weasley/Lyla Zabini story for NaNo this year.
> 
> Happy first week of October!  
> ~Harry


	12. Summer (Again) - May 31st

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Molly and Lucy's birthday, so Percy buys a ring with Oliver and Romulus, and Audrey quits her job.

Part Five – Summer (Again)

** Chapter Twelve: May 31st **

Percy ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, Oliver was supposed to meet him fifteen minutes ago. It wasn’t that Percy hated to wait, he was a patient person, Audrey had arrived almost two hours late to their first date and he had not wavered. But Oliver was someone who _hated_ tardiness, he kept his team on a strict schedule and benched those who showed up late.

It was a bit much, but Oliver was who he was.

Percy stood up and looked through the crowd, he didn’t have much time to do this, let alone wait for Oliver.

“Percy!” called a voice behind him, and Percy whipped his head around to see both Oliver and Romulus. Percy felt his temper flare for just a moment then die back down as Romulus hugged him.

“What are you doing here?” asked Romulus, causing Percy to become angry again.

“ _Oliver_ ,” snapped Percy, ignoring Romulus, “you were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.”

“No, that’s tomorrow Perce,” said Oliver, and Percy rolled his eyes. “You said Wednesday!”

“Today’s Wednesday,” said Percy, crossing his arms and feeling like his mother.

Oliver paused and Percy sighed, letting his anger drift away. Now though, he had both Romulus’ and Oliver’s help, even if Romulus had told him no at the beginning.

“You don’t think this is a bit early?” asked Romulus as they walked into the jewelry shop.

The correct answer was yes, because Percy had only been dating Audrey for a few weeks, but he already knew that he would marry her. She was perfect, she was smart and funny and beautiful, and Percy didn’t know what he did to deserve her.

He knew that Romulus didn’t understand this, not yet at least. There was the girl who hired him at the Dragon’s Egg Inn to work in the restaurant, with her little girl and friendly smile, which Romulus refused to acknowledge. Romulus refused to acknowledge that she made him happy and that he only forced himself to get up early to be the first one in the kitchen for a chance to make her breakfast.

Romulus was stubborn in his beliefs, which given the hardships that he was continuously forced through, Percy understood.

Oliver though, had been disappointed Percy hadn’t asked him first. Oliver was the hopeless romantic, but with his Quidditch schedule and four young sons at home, he just didn’t have any free time.

But Oliver was _happy_ , he had everything he wanted. He was team captain for Puddlemere and he was married to Katie Bell who he had adored back in school. He had four sons who could pass off as his miniatures, and was sure that he would be able to talk Katie into having a daughter by the next year.

Percy couldn’t help but admit that he was optimistic.

“Hello gentlemen,” said the salesman from behind the counter display directly in front of the door. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Oliver and Romulus both spilt off from Percy, both with wandering eyes, while Percy walked up to the salesman.

“I’m looking for an engagement ring,” Percy told him, and the salesman broke into a large grin.

“Congratulations, let me show you where we keep them.”

Percy was led down to a jewelry case on the far side of the shop. Inside were more rings than he had ever seen before.

He leaned down and looked closely at the brightly lit jewelry case. He didn’t want anything too crazy, it just wasn’t for him and Audrey, but he didn’t want anything too simple either.

Audrey was a complex person, she had been forced to leave her parents and go on the run to try and save them from the Death Eaters and had ended up losing them anyways. She had lived out of a car with her brothers until they were forced to ask for help. She had hidden herself away with her brothers in an old Slytherin family’s groundskeeper house. Audrey had fought to keep her family together and loss them within a year.

Percy didn’t see anything that quite said Audrey to him in the rings shown to him. They were all too much with large diamonds and a rainbow of stones. He didn’t even think a diamond would fit for Audrey.

He stood back up and the salesman frowned at him, “is everything alright sir?”

“None of these are Audrey,” Percy told him, knowing that he didn’t know who Audrey was or what she was like.

“I told you it was too soon,” said Romulus from Percy’s side as he glanced at the case Percy had been looking at.

“That one’s nice,” said Oliver pointing to one in the middle, “looks like the one I gave Katie.”

Percy wrinkled his nose, he didn’t want that for Audrey, she deserved something better.

Romulus put his hand on the case beside the one Percy had been looking at to lean forward. The motion had caught Percy’s eyes and he glanced over into the other display.

As he looked, switching spots with Romulus to lean down towards the case, he saw it. The perfect ring.

“I’ll take this one,” Percy told the salesman, pointing to a ring off to the side. “It’s perfect.”

The salesman looked like he wanted to say something, but he pulled out the ring Percy had been pointing at.

“Are you sure sir? We have more engagement rings for you to browse if you wish to.”

Percy ignored him and turned to Oliver and Romulus.

“It’s perfect, right?”

~`~

Molly sat on her bed, and ran a brush through her hair. It was even brighter now, more orange than red. She was spending most days out in the garden of the Burrow or Uncle Harry’s and Auntie Ginny’s while her father was at work and mother ran errands. Nana Molly would always bring out tea and a tray of sandwiches for Molly and Grandad Arthur to snack on. And Uncle Harry always had ginger snaps and lemon tea so sweet she would feel her teeth ache afterwards.

She wasn’t allowed to do much, the list was longer than her arm and Nana Molly referenced to it for everything Molly did. But Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny let her do anything that wasn’t too crazy.

She could fly, she could run off into the woods, or she could do cartwheels and laugh and enjoy herself. She spent the rest of her time studying for her OWLs and texting Artie and waiting to go back to school.

She was still being carted back to St. Mungo’s three times a week for testing and physical exams.

But today was her birthday, Molly _and_ Lucy’s, and she wanted to go back to school.

Molly put her brush down and stood up before walking to the closet. It always took her longer than Lucy to get dressed. The combinations were ridiculous at times, as Molly was constantly adding and changing her clothes. There were some of Rose’s shirts and a few things of Lily’s, and two pairs of Roxanne’s pants, and most of Dominique’s shoes and bras.

All of their closets were like that, though it was usually during the summer holidays, as they were constantly back and forth to one another’s homes.

Molly got dressed and went to the bathroom to try and do something with her hair. It wasn’t long enough to feel comfortable yet. In front of the mirror, she fluffed and combed and found an old headband to keep it all out of her face. She usually didn’t care about her hair, but now that it was growing out more, she was becoming more self-conscious of it.

She wished that she had Lucy’s hair, or at least Lucy to do her hair. She knew all the different braids that worked on her hair and all the different ways to style her hair so she didn’t look like a puffball.

“Molly!” called her father from down the hall. She sighed and resigned herself to looking like a puffball with a headband.

“Coming!” Molly called back as she walked out of her bedroom. She walked down the hall and stairs to the kitchen, where her father was sitting on the counter nursing a cup of coffee while her mother leaned up against the counter beside him.

Molly always thought it odd that her father liked to sit on top of counters and tables. She never bothered to ask him about it though, and didn’t think anything about it as he had always done it her whole life.

“Morning,” said Molly as she walked over to hug Audrey.

“Happy birthday honey,” said Audrey as she hugged her back and Percy climbed off of the counter.

“Happy sixteenth sweetie,” said Percy, pulling her in close.

Molly felt warm and safe with them hugging her. She missed this feeling, this mindset that everything would be okay. It went away when she was admitted into St. Mungo’s, but now that she was starting to feel better, it was coming back, piece by piece.

“So we have a little surprise for you,” said Percy as he pulled away from her, but left his hands on her shoulders. Molly looked up at him, he looked serious, even with his glasses slightly crooked and his tie loose around his neck.

“What is it?” asked Molly, turning to look at Audrey, who was beaming at her.

Audrey took a step closer and rested her head on Molly’s shoulder. “You have your trunk packed up right?”

Molly felt herself smile as she looked up at her father who nodded, then turned her head back to her mother, who was still smiling.

“Are you serious?” asked Molly feeling her face betray her excitement, she must have looked insane. “Do I really get to go to school?”

“Yes,” said Percy, with a large grin.

Molly was sure she was screaming and she knew that she was jumping up and down, but either way she was happy.

She was getting Lucy for her birthday, she was getting to go to school for her birthday, she was getting her life back for her birthday.

~`~

Audrey took her feet off of the file box she had been resting them on and stood up from her seat. She put a hand on her back and waddled to the Minister’s door, the forms she needed floating behind her.

She knocked on the door and opened it before the Minister could say anything. She really didn’t have to knock on the door, it was expected for her to come and go as she needed out of the Minister’s office.

Kingsley looked up at her as she walked into the office, Harry and Ron sat in the chairs in front of his desk. Audrey grabbed the forms behind her and slapped them down on Kingsley’s desk.

“This is the new hire paperwork for Coraline West who will be taking over for me when I go on leave,” she told him as he took the forms from her. “And also for my immediate resignation starting in two days when my leave starts.”

Harry and Ron were both quiet, something that Audrey was grateful for. They had become allies to Audrey in this pregnancy, at least at the Ministry. Now that they both had children and had to deal with their wives being pregnant, they were very sympathetic to Audrey in her current state.

“There’s no way that I can convince you to stay on after the girls are born?” asked Kingsley, as he signed off at the tabs she had put on the pages for him.

“No,” said Audrey as she put a hand to her stomach, “I should’ve been on leave a week ago. And I have my side business that is going very well that will let me stay at home after the girls are born.”

Audrey had been hemming and fixing clothes for herself and others for years, but Percy had been able to convince her to put a small ad in the Prophet and then just like that she had a side job. Everyone that came to her were surprised at the sight of her, first because they recognized her from the Ministry and pictures of her with the Minister, and second because she had been huge since she was four months pregnant.

It was working out pretty well and she was ready to take it on full time.

Also she was ready to leave the Ministry, it wasn’t her dream and she was ready to let go of Lucas’ dream. It wasn’t hers to live out, Lucas was never coming back.

“Well, Coraline will have big shoes to fill,” said Kingsley, and Audrey rolled her eyes.

“I’m a size six, but I think she’ll be able to fit into them,” Audrey told him with a smile, “she already knows about the blueberry muffin.”

Kingsley laughed and handed Audrey the paperwork back, she smiled at Harry and Ron and headed back out to her desk. Back at her seat, with her feet propped up, Audrey folded the paperwork into a paper airplane and charmed it to fly off down the hall. Normally she would’ve hand delivered it, but in her current state, the very thought of walking made her exhausted.

“Are you and Percy coming to dinner tonight?” asked Harry as he and Ron walked pass her desk.

Audrey rested her hands on her stomach, where the girls were moving around and kicking at her bladder. “I don’t know, I’m exhausted and Percy won’t leave me alone about walking around.”

Ron laughed and Audrey smiled, “you’ve got to want to get them out, Hermione could barely stand the later months with Rose.”

“I’m not due for another two weeks,” Audrey told them patting her stomach, “and I get the feeling these two are not going anywhere.”

“Well,” said Harry with a smile, “just let us know, before you leave for the day.”

“Will do,” said Audrey as the elevator dinged from down the hallway and a moment later about ten paper airplanes were at her desk.

“Come on, Potter,” said Ron with a large smile and a wink to Audrey, “let Audrey get some work done.”

“At least one of us should do something while Hermione’s away,” said Harry as the pair of them walked away from her desk. Audrey sighed and held her stomach, she was ready for her girls to be born, to come into the world.

She was ready to be a mum.

“Audrey!” called Kingsley, and with a sigh Audrey got to her feet and walked back into the Minister’s office.

“Yes,” said Audrey, as she grabbed at her side after a sharp kick at her left kidney.

“Have a seat,” said the Minister and Audrey gladly took one of the open seats. It was unusual for the Minister’s office to be empty. “There’s no way that I convince you to come back after your maternity leave?”

Audrey smiled sadly at Kingsley, they had been through a lot together, but it was time for her to leave.

“I don’t want to come back, Kingsley,” Audrey told him as she held her stomach, “this was never what I wanted.”

Kingsley nodded, sitting back into his chair. “I understand, and I have to say I’m very happy that you’re sticking to your own dreams.”

~`~

Lucy climbed out of Devon’s bed and slipped her jumper back on as she headed out of the dorm room. She walked quietly down the stairs then through the common room and up the stairs again to her own dorm.

Her dorm mates were still asleep and Lucy climbed into her cold bed. Devon had made her stay up until midnight, just so he could be the first to tell her happy birthday.

It was a sweet gesture, but Molly had him beat, she sent a card the day before with a promise that her real present was coming. This was tradition, they always waited until after exams to trade presents, letting the family send them gifts throughout the first two weeks of June.

Their birthday fell at a weird time of the year, right before exams with the last Hogsmeade weekend three weeks away still. They were used to being bombarded with late gifts from most of their cousins and friends. Freddie, Roxanne, Rose, and Dominique were the only ones that got them something for their actual birthday.

Lucy doubted that Roxanne would’ve been able to get them anything while being stuck in St. Mungo’s; and Freddie was so busy taking care of LeeAnne, who was due at the end of July, but already dilating and ready herself to give birth.

At the sound of one of her dorm mate’s alarm clock and then the sound of another alarm, Lucy knew she wouldn’t go back to sleep.

She rolled over onto her stomach and checked her fyre, there were no new messages but she read over the last one Molly sent her.

_Molly:_ Can’t wait to see you this weekend! Happy birthday!!

Lucy had returned the sentiment in her return message, but she really wished that Molly was here for this one. They had never spent a birthday apart, and Lucy really didn’t want to break this tradition either.

She climbed out of bed and started to get ready for the day, she needed to finish up a charms essay before her afternoon class and she had a free hour right before lunch. She knew though if she didn’t pack it up then she wouldn’t work on it when she had the time to.

Lucy left the dorm and walked down to the common room where Devon was waiting for her at the bulletin board, where they met each other every morning.

“Happy birthday Lucy,” said Devon as he leaned forward to kiss her. Lucy returned the kiss and took his hand, they left the common room together and Lucy tucked herself into his side as they walked to the Great Hall.

“Is it really bad that I just want to skip today?” asked Lucy, looking up at Devon.

“It’s your birthday,” said Devon with a shrug, “it’s up to you what you do today.”

“That’s the worst advice ever Devon,” Lucy told him with an exaggerated sigh, “you gave me nothing to go by.”

Devon stopped walking and Lucy stopped with him. She put her hands on her hips and looked at him.

“Because you know, just as I know, that you are going to go to class, you’re going to do your homework, and that you’re going to call Molly after dinner tonight,” said Devon and Lucy rolled her eyes. She knew that he was right, but it wasn’t fair.

“ _Lucy_ ,” he said, taking a step forward to pull her into his arms. “Don’t worry about today, it’s _your_ birthday and I promise that it’ll be good.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Sure I do,” said Devon, leaning down to kiss her. “We have three classes and a free hour together, I know that it’ll make my day better.”

Lucy hugged him tightly and tucked her head under his chin. She loved how well they fit together.

“I love you,” said Lucy, as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“I love you too Lucy. Happy sixteenth.”

~`~

Percy walked out of the jewelry shop with Oliver and Romulus right behind him. He had the ring that would make Audrey his bride and he felt amazing. Sure he had just dropped a few hundred galleons, but it was worth it.

Audrey was perfect, his everything.

“Percy!” called a voice from behind the three of them, and Percy turned around to see Angelina.

He suddenly felt nervous as his sister-in-law walked up to him and his friends.

“Hey, what are you doing down here?” asked Angelina as she gave him a quick hug before turning to Oliver and Romulus. “Getting something for Katie?”

“No,” said Oliver as he hugged Angelina quickly, “Katie would think I wanted to have another baby.”

“How many are the two of you up to?” asked Angelina, as she hugged Romulus.

“Four boys, Evan, Micah, Mattie, and Jacob,” said Oliver, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and pulling out a few photos of his sons’. “They have been driving us crazy, I’m surprised that I was able to get away for a little bit today.”

Angelina smiled at the photos of the four little boys. Percy was quite fond of them himself, Micah was even his godson, with Mattie being Romulus’ godson.

“So then what were the three of you doing in there?” asked Angelina as she smiled at Oliver’s photos.

“Would you like to tell her Percy?” asked Romulus, as he folded his arms over his chest. “This was your idea after all.”

Percy rolled his eyes and sent Romulus a glare. “Do you have to do this?” Percy asked him. Knowing fully well that Romulus had a right to be skeptical of him, he didn’t want to see Percy get rejected.

“What were you doing Percy?” asked Angelina, turning to him. “Getting Audrey a gift?”

“He bought an engagement ring for her,” said Romulus annoyed, “because he’s only been dating her for a few weeks as we both know.”

Angelina’s head turned from Percy to Romulus then back to Percy, her expression changing with each turn of her head. First shock, then annoyance, then concern, Percy felt his ears grow warm as Angelina looked at him again.

“Percy,” said Angelina with a sigh, “you’ve only been dating her for a few weeks.”

“We can talk about this later,” Percy whispered to her, knowing that she would ask him about it in more detail later. Angelina was not one to spare any details, and Percy was more than well aware of this fact.

“You’re in over your head Perce,” said Romulus as he checked his watch. “And I’m going to be late for my next shift if I don’t leave right now. Angelina it was good to see you, Oliver I’ll come around sometime in the next few days to pick up that broom.”

Angelina and Oliver both waved at Romulus as he walked away from them down the street. Percy was quite annoyed with his attitude, even if he was right about him and Audrey being too new to this relationship.

“Look mate,” said Oliver putting a hand on Percy’s shoulder, “I’ve got to get going too, come round for dinner sometime next week, bring Audrey with you too.”

Percy nodded as Oliver pulled away from him and turned to Angelina, giving her a quick peck on the cheek he started walking away to the nearest apparition point. Percy watched as he walked in the opposite direction of Romulus, sometimes this was what it was like to be friends with the pair of them. Oliver was always moving forward in one direction, while Romulus moved forward in the other direction, while Percy stayed at the stand still.

“Percy,” said Angelina quietly, putting a hand on his forearm. Percy turned to her, giving her his full attention. “Are you sure you’re ready to marry Audrey?”

Percy really didn’t know how to answer her, because the truth was yes, he was ready to marry Audrey. But he knew that society norms would say that he was insane, they barely knew one another, they hadn’t even stayed the night together, but he knew that Audrey was the one.

“Were you sure that you were ready to marry George?” Percy asked her, and watched as her expression changed from concern to shock.

“I-um… yes, of course,” she stammered embarrassedly.

Percy rolled his eyes and Angelina blushed red, making Percy smile. “I know that not everyone is ready to be married, or knows who they’ll marry right away if they do decide to jump the broom, but I know I want to be with Audrey,” Percy told her as he wrapped an arm around Angelina’s shoulders and led her down the street to the joke shop.

“You’re so damn sure of yourself,” said Angelina with a smile. “I hope that it all works out for you.”

“Me too,” said Percy as the joke shop came in sight, “me too.”

~`~

Molly sat on top of her trunk as she went through her mental list of things that she needed for the last few weeks of school. She had all of her uniforms and textbooks, plenty of parchment and quills still, her potion kit was still in there from when she packed up her trunk at the end of the summer.

She had plenty of clothes packed away in one of Aunt Hermione’s special knitted handbags. She also had the pictures that went everywhere with her packed away and tucked in between her textbook pages.

She quickly went back through the list in her head, over and over again, just to make sure that she had everything she needed.

She stood up and looked over at the desk, where a small wrapped up box sat.

Lucy’s present.

Molly had been sure that she sent it out the day before, or maybe she had thought that she did. She had made sure that Lily got hers the week before, Molly knew she should’ve sent Lucy’s out at the same time.

“Molly sweetie, are you ready?” asked Percy as he stood in her door frame. He had straighten his tie, or more likely Audrey had when Molly left the kitchen. Molly had grown up watching her mother straighten her father’s tie and kiss him goodbye before he left for work every morning.

To Molly, it was the biggest romantic gesture her mother ever preformed.

“I think so,” said Molly, as she jumped off of her trunk. She grabbed one end, while Percy grabbed the other. It was already charmed to be as light as a feather, but Molly could see her father’s uneasiness as she picked up the other side of the trunk.

“Nervous?” asked Percy as they paused together in the doorway.

How was she supposed to tell him that she was scared to go back? That she thought she would have the summer to compose herself and take her OWLs? That she was sure she would have more time before she saw Lucy at school again?

“A little,” Molly told him, and he set down his side of the trunk, Molly followed suit.

“What are you worried about?” asked Percy, sitting down on one side of Molly’s trunk, “is it exams? The other kids? Your cousins?”

Molly could say yes to any of these options, because a part of her was scared of them, but then it wouldn’t be the right answer. She didn’t need to be a Ravenclaw to know that wasn’t right.

“It’s Lucy,” Molly told him, “I’m scared that she won’t need me, or want me to be there. This has been her year without me, she didn’t have to worry about including me at all this year.”

Percy began giggling, which quickly turned into full on laughter. “You can’t be serious Molly?”

Honestly, Molly was shocked, her father wasn’t the kind of man to laugh at his children, especially when they were down.

“Are you making fun of me?” asked Molly as she stepped back into her bedroom.

“I’m really just wondering if you didn’t read the same letters I read this last year?” said Percy, patting the trunk for Molly to sit down, “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Molly.”

“She sent me different letters,” Molly told him, which was true, but at the same time not.

“Lucy’s missed you a lot,” said Percy with a sad smile, “we all have.”

Molly nodded and stood back up, readying herself to take her trunk downstairs. She was ready to go to school, ready to see Lucy again.

They headed downstairs together, where Audrey was waiting for them at the fireplace.

“I promise that you’ll have a good time,” said Audrey as Molly set her trunk down and hugged Audrey. “Hogwarts has never let me down before.”

Molly knew that this wasn’t true, her mother lost her twin brother at Hogwarts, her whole life changed at Hogwarts, some for the better and some for the worst, either way Hogwarts had let her down more ways than once.

“I know,” said Molly as Audrey kissed her forehead.

“Alright,” said Percy as he walked to the fireplace, Molly’s trunk in one hand. “Let’s get going, Professor McGonagall has been expecting us.”

“Yes dear,” said Audrey as she held Molly’s face in her hands. “We’ll be right after you.”

Molly watched as her father left in a flash of green flame, before turning back to her mother. “It _will_ be okay, right?” she couldn’t help herself from asking.

“Yes,” said Audrey letting go of Molly’s face, and instead taking her hand, pulling her towards the fireplace. She already had her traveling cloak on and her handbag slung over one shoulder. Molly hoped that someday she would be just as prepared as her mother was in all situations. “And Lucy doesn’t know a thing, but I don’t think that’ll matter much.”

“No one told her?”

“That’s why we didn’t tell you until today, Molly dear, it’s a surprise.”

With those final words, she gave Molly’s hand a small tug and together they stepped into the fireplace, then in a rush of green, they were gone.

~`~

Audrey put her feet up into Percy’s lap and felt herself moan as he began rubbing her feet and ankles. While her day had started on a high note, the rest of it was spent taking notes at meetings, running around the Ministry, and the usual wandering from one department to another for Kingsley. Even her lunch break she spent running around, as she tried to chase down Hermione for a good portion of twenty minutes.

Hermione was still wearing heels too.

Hermione was also only four months pregnant compared to Audrey’s eight, but it still annoyed her.

“Long day?” asked Percy and Audrey sighed, that was how she usually answered that question. She spent most of her days following around a man twice her age taking notes on things she didn’t care about, her days were long and boring. “I’m going to take that as a yes then.”

“It wasn’t horrible, just tiring, especially lugging these two around,” Audrey told him as she patted her stomach.

The two in question moved in her stomach, stretching their arms and legs, she felt a hand and foot push against her stomach. They were small bulges against the balloon that was her stomach.

“Two more days,” said Percy as he switched foots, and Audrey smiled. She was feeling better by the second, having Percy with her and finally at home just felt right.

“I know,” said Audrey as she pushed her hair behind her shoulders. “I’m just ready to be done, as much as I loved working with Kingsley and as well as he treats me, both of us, I’m ready to move forward. I feel like I’m still chasing down Lucas’ dream when I need to be going down my own path, like Rory has.”

“Rory called while you were gone,” said Percy as he rubbed his hands up her ankles. “He hired a new worker, some guy named William or Liam or something. He seemed quite flustered about it when he was talking to me.”

“He needs to stop hiring the first guy with a pretty face that walks in,” Audrey told him, though they both knew that this wasn’t their business.

“You would think he learned that after the last three times,” said Percy, and Audrey sighed again.

“We should invite him over for dinner this weekend, your parents are coming over, Rory always enjoys them,” said Audrey, while Percy pushed her feet off of his lap.

“That sounds good to me,” said Percy as he stood up and put his hands out to help Audrey to her own feet. “Let’s go get some dinner though.”

Audrey nodded, but as Percy helped her up to her feet, she felt a small popping sensation in her lower back. It felt as in a water balloon suddenly broke in her hands, and the evidence became clear as water began streaming down her legs.

“Or maybe not,” said Percy as they both watched as a small puddle begin to form at her feet.

“Or maybe not,” repeated Audrey, thinking back to the faint pains she had been brushing off all day.

“Should I get the car?” asked Percy and Audrey began giggling.

“Why don’t you get my bag and help me put on my shoes,” said Audrey through a fit of giggles. She really didn’t know why she was so giddy, part of her knew it was the fear of becoming a mum finally, and another part of her knew it was the excitement, but the last part of her knew that no matter what, there was no going back from this moment.

Her daughters were coming, whether they were ready or not.

“Percy,” said Audrey as she slipped into a pair of sandals by the door, she wasn’t even sure if they were hers really. “There’s no going back from this.”

Percy appeared in front of her, his glasses crooked and his tie loose around his neck. He had come home about two hours before her, and she had been surprised that he wasn’t changed already.

“No,” said Percy, “there isn’t.”

Audrey took his hand, and with strength neither of them expected, she pulled him close and kissed him.

“I don’t want to go back,” Audrey whispered, as he pressed his forehead against hers.

“Me either.”

~`~

Lucy walked into the Great Hall and laughed at the sight of her cousins and friends. James, Al, Rose, Scorpius, Lily, Hugo, Louis, Dominique, Remus, Becca, Lorcan, Lysander, Freddie, LeeAnne, her roommates, even Molly’s roommates were all lined up together in front of the doors. They were all holding a giant banner that read ‘Happy Birthday Lucy!’

Devon pulled Lucy forward and Lucy couldn’t help but feel herself tear up.

“Did you do this?” Lucy asked him, turning her head as Freddie and James hugged her.

“It was my idea,” said James as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, even after Freddie pulled away and she was attacked by Rose and Scorpius.

Lucy smiled up at him, before Lily hugged her and Hugo picked her up off her feet.

“Happy sixteenth Lucy,” said Louis as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek. Lucy smiled at him as he turned away and walked to the Ravenclaw table.

“Thank you,” Lucy told James as everyone went to their house tables. “This was really nice.”

James smiled down at her and hugged her tightly, “it may have been my idea, but Rose was able to get everyone on board.”

Lucy smiled and allowed Devon to pull her away and for James to go to the Gryffindor table. She sat down between Devon and Louis, and allowed for the conversation to revolve around her.

Today would not be perfect, but she had her family, her boyfriend, and her friends there to make the day better. The only person missing, was the one person she wanted more than anyone else.

“Excuse me, can I join?” said a voice behind Lucy, breaking her out of her thoughts. Then she felt a finger press into her back, right between her shoulder blades. It was what Molly always did when she went too deep.

Lucy whipped her head around and before she knew it, she was crying. Standing in front of her, in a black and yellow trimmed uniform was Molly.

Lucy climbed out of her seat and nearly fell to the ground as she rushed to hug her sister. Molly began laughing and Lucy scrambled to her feet to hug her, because _finally_ , Molly was here.

“Happy birthday, Lucy,” whispered Molly as Lucy half laughed and half sobbed into Molly’s shoulder as she hugged her tightly.

“Are you here to stay?” asked Lucy, she didn’t want to get her hopes up, what if this was only for the day.

“Until we ride the train back to Kings Cross… together,” whispered Molly and Lucy lifted her head off of her sister’s shoulder.

“Really?”

“Yes,” said Molly with a small laugh, but Lucy could see the tears she was trying to blink back. “I promise.”

Lucy had no clue what noise came out of her mouth, it could’ve been a laugh, a sob, or a shriek, either way it brought the attention off anyone who was in vicinity of the Great Hall.

Her sixteenth birthday was going to be perfect after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, this is the last chapter, next up is the epilogue and then I'll be on hiatus for a few weeks before I start posting 'One Night' which is the sorta sequel to this story! I am super excited, and be on the look out at the beginning of November for my next multichaptered work.
> 
> In the meantime, I have several Hufflepuff and Slytherin character studies/one-shots that I've posted. I have a few Ravenclaw stories that I'll also be posting in the next few weeks.
> 
> Alright, that's all I have to say, see you next week for the epilogue!  
> ~Harry


	13. Summer (Again) - July 14th Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue, a quick look in on the family six weeks later.

** Epilogue: July 14th **

Percy climbed into bed beside Audrey, he was exhausted after his first day back to work. He spent quite a bit of time going over the books and fixing the numbers. He enjoyed the day, but he missed Audrey, he missed Molly and Lucy, he missed being home.

“Hi,” said Audrey, rolling over to cuddle up beside him. She had sleep in her eyes and was still wearing the same stained t-shirt she had been wearing that morning.

“Hello,” said Percy wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “How was your day?”

“It was very long, but Rory came around for baby cuddles,” said Audrey as off in another room, there was a faint cry.

Audrey sighed at the noise, and began pulling away from him. But Percy put a hand on her shoulder, “let me take care of them. I haven’t been here all day and you have.”

Percy climbed out of bed and walked down the hall to the girls’ room. Molly was sound asleep, but Lucy was up and wailing, her arms waving in front of her and her face bright red. Percy bent down and carefully picked her up, she started to quiet down as Percy adjusted her blanket.

“Hi there little one,” said Percy as he walked over to the rocking chair Charlie had sent them as a baby gift. He sat down and adjusted his cradle on Lucy, holding her head in his hand.

Lucy let out a small yawn in response to Percy’s words, he was still amazed by how small she was. He could hold both of the girls easily in one arm, Lucy always in his left and Molly on the right, it was where he always wanted them.

“I missed you so much today,” Percy told her, as he rubbed her forehead. Both of them were born with shock of dark curly hair. Audrey had been surprised by it, but Percy wasn’t, he remembered when Ron and Ginny were born, each of them with a full head of hair.

Lucy closed her eyes and Percy watched as her arms calmed down, then went back to her sides. She was so peaceful in sleep, and Percy loved to watch her, Molly moved around constantly, she wiggled and stretched in her sleep, making it almost impossible to hold her while she was sleeping.

“She is such a daddy’s girl,” said Audrey from the doorway. Percy looked up at her, she had pulled her hair back into a bun and changed her shirt. “She’s going to be your mini.”

“No,” said Percy, as he brushed a finger over Lucy’s soft hair. “I hope she’s just like you.”

“Sleep deprived and hungry?” asked Audrey as she sat down on the poof between the girl’s cribs.

“Good, and kind, and friendly, and beautiful even while your sleep deprived and hungry,” said Percy as he stood up and put Lucy back into her crib.

“Thank you,” said Audrey, as Percy leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Are you going to get food?”

“What would you like?” asked Percy, thinking of the leftover pie in the fridge and the Chinese food that was probably starting to turn.

“Pizza, a sandwich, something that isn’t old Chinese food, do we still have any of that soup your mum sent us a few days ago?” asked Audrey, and Percy thought for a moment.

“I’ll go look,” Percy told her, and Audrey smiled up at him as Molly began fussing in her arms.

Percy slipped out of the girls’ room and headed downstairs to the kitchen. He dug around in the fridge and found some old pizza that should probably be thrown out and the old cartons of Chinese food, which he did throw out. He dug around and found some pasta that Hermione had sent over, but after a quick smell test, threw that out too. Then tucked away, in a back corner, he found the soup that Audrey had been asking about.

He grabbed a pot and began heating it up on the stove, he tested the pizza, taking a bite of it and immediately spitting it out in the sink.

They needed to clean out the fridge more often.

They also needed to clean the house, do laundry, take care of the dishes, and clean the bathrooms. It was a lot of work, and with him back at work he wasn’t sure if they would ever get it done.

Once the soup was hot, he grab a bowl and a plate, adding a few pieces of bread and some fruit cups that Angelina had brought them the other day. He carefully brought everything upstairs to the girl’s room, where Audrey was nursing Molly.

“Here we are,” said Percy as he set down the soup and plate of bread and fruit on the small table beside Audrey’s stool.

“Thank you Percy,” said Audrey as she rubbed Molly’s back.

Percy smiled and leaned down to kiss her, as tired as they both were, neither one of them would consider going back to what their lives were before.

~`~

Molly sat on the couch beside LeeAnne, baby Johnny in her arms. Yesterday was the twins first day home, they were born a few weeks early and had been kept in the NICU for a few days.

They were so small and so sweet, Johnny kept stretching and yawning in her arms, reaching for her fingers to pull them into his mouth. Molly enjoyed watching him, she really just couldn’t believe that anyone was ever this small.

“Lucy can you grab that blanket for me?” asked LeeAnne as Lucy walked back into the living room.

“No problem,” said Lucy as she grabbed an afghan off of a chair as she walked in. She handed the blanket to LeeAnne and settled herself beside Molly. They had been inseparable since Molly had return to Hogwarts on their birthday.

Lucy put her head on Molly’s shoulder and brushed a finger along Johnny’s forehead, pushing his hair back. Molly rested her head on top of Lucy’s and hoped that Johnny and Benji would be as close as they were.

“Switch me,” said LeeAnne, holding baby Benji out to Lucy. Lucy took the baby and Molly passed over Johnny.

“Are the two of you just planning on hanging out and doing nothing all day?” asked Freddie, as he popped his head into the room. “Or are you going to help us unpack like you promised.”

“We unpacked your kitchen,” said Molly, though they all knew there wasn’t much to unpack there.

“So three boxes?” asked Freddie, as he sat down next to LeeAnne.

Lucy rolled her eyes and Molly giggled at her as Benji began waving his arms up at Molly. “We also took care of the bathroom, and helped with some of the nursery.”

“That was three weeks ago,” said Freddie, but he was smiling all the same.

“Look around,” said Molly, gesturing to living room, “do you see any boxes? We helped unpack plenty, more than James and Katie-“

“Or Lorcan and Lysander!” cut in Lucy, jostling Benji slightly, not that he noticed.

“Okay, okay,” said LeeAnne, putting a hand up, “you’re all pretty, you’re all helpful, and you’re all driving me insane.”

“Sorry Love,” said Freddie, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “I just like getting a rise out of Molly and Lucy.”

“I know, but they did technically unpack this whole flat just by themselves,” said LeeAnne, handing Johnny off to Freddie and slowly climbing out of her seat. “And I’m exhausted, I need to lay down.”

Molly moved and took LeeAnne’s seat in between Lucy and Freddie, who both moved to be closer to her. This was how the rest of the family was acting too, at any family event, she would suddenly be surrounded by her cousins and aunts and uncles who didn’t want to leave her side. But Lucy was the only one that she wanted at her side anyways.

“We named James and Katie godparents, but the two of you are the Aunties,” said Freddie as he cuddled Johnny against his chest. “We want the two of you to be just as involved as they are.”

Lucy smiled and Molly said what the pair of them were thinking, “there was no stopping that, we’re here until the end.”

“Well, we weren’t always sure,” said Freddie, turning to Molly, “when I found you on the kitchen floor after the New Year’s party I thought you were gone.”

Molly didn’t even think about that, she tried not to think about her sickness and how it had affected her family in the last year. Mainly because she hadn’t thought about it outside of her immediate family, her parents and Lucy had been the only ones to keep in touch with her the whole year.

She hadn’t expect everyone to keep her in the loop, Freddie had written her quite a bit at the beginning and Roxanne had texted her quite frequently, but then Quidditch started up and then the holidays came and went, and Molly didn’t hear much of anything anymore.

But it didn’t matter, it didn’t matter because they all ended up together at St. Mungo’s anyways. Freddie with LeeAnne and their boys, while Roxanne was admitted for her anorexia and mental health.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Molly told Freddie and Lucy, turning from one to the other. “I’ll be okay, I’m sure of it.”

~`~

Audrey curled up on Molly’s bed, Percy was at work with Lucy and Molly was off getting tested one last time before they started packing up her things.

Molly was coming home today.

She had come home for six months when she was six and had even been able to go to school. She had come home for almost every Christmas. She had come home for most of her birthdays. She had come home for one Halloween.

“Having a lie down?” asked a voice from the door, Audrey lifted her head to see Rory standing in the frame.

“Come lay down with me, Healer Phillips,” said Audrey, moving over slightly. Rory came and laid down beside her, both of them resting their heads on the small pillow.

Audrey looked at her younger brother, she and Lucas used to always tease Rory about being adopted. He looked so much different than them at first glance, with his red hair and green eyes, but upon closer inspection Audrey could see all of their similarities.

They shared freckles, they shared a nose and a chin that belonged to their mother, ears and lips from their father. Rory’s red hair came from their grandmother, while Audrey’s brown hair came from their mother, and Lucas’ blonde hair came from their father.

“Every day I wish that they got to meet them,” whispered Audrey as Rory found her hands with his own. It had been so long since they laid in bed together like this, not since they lived together, not since before Percy came along.

“Lucy is just like mama,” said Rory, with a small smile as he played with her wedding band, twisting it around her finger. “Molly is like dad.”

“I think it’s the other way around,” said Audrey with a small smile, “but I see a lot of Lucas in them too.”

“Really?” asked Rory, moving his head to look her in the eyes, “Molly is such a goofball, like how dad was, and Lucy, she’s a little worrier like mama.”

“I know,” said Audrey, more than aware of her daughter’s behaviors. “But Lucy has dad’s laugh, and she cries at the drop of a hat. And Molly, she has this way of always being there when you need her. They’re both smarter than first glance, just like Lucas.”

“Remember how he used to cry because Libby Welse used to call him a dumb blonde all the time?” asked Rory with a little laugh, “he used to come home in tears every day.”

Audrey smiled and tucked her head under Rory’s chin. She had been shorter than Rory since he was fourteen, and she had never come close to Lucas’ height.

“I asked Liam to marry me,” said Rory as he wrapped his arms around Audrey and pulled her closer. “Will you be my best man?”

Audrey nodded, if she had the chance to actually plan her wedding, then Rory would’ve been her maid of honor, it was a promise they made each other after the war. They were all the other had right after the war, they had the Greengrass family, but it wasn’t the same, it wasn’t their blood.

“Of course,” Audrey told him, not picking her head up.

“I’ll need the girls also,” said Rory, and Audrey giggled.

“They would be upset if they weren’t involved,” said Audrey, and Rory smiled.

“Uncle Rory! Did you come to help pack?” asked Molly as she came in the door with Justin just behind her.

“Hey my little Honeypot,” said Rory as he sat up, Audrey following just behind him. Molly climbed up into his lap and he hugged her close, Audrey smiled and rested her head on Rory’s shoulder while reaching forward to squeeze Molly’s arm. “How did everything go?”

“I have a clean bill of health!” said Molly excitedly, turning to look over at Justin, “right?”

“Yes,” said Justin, sitting at the chair beside the bed, “your all clear to go home today.”

“That’s great,” said Rory, standing up and handing Molly off to Audrey, “but I have to get going back downstairs.”

Molly looked up at him from Audrey’s arms, and without thinking, Audrey held her a little tighter. “Don’t leave?” asked Molly, reaching out for him.

Rory avoided Molly’s grabby hands and kissed her forehead, “I’ll come back before you leave, I promise Honeypot.”

Molly smiled and Rory took his leave, Justin following behind him.

And just like that, it was Audrey and Molly.

“Okay, let’s get started on packing up,” said Audrey, putting Molly on her feet and standing up herself. “I’ll get started on the desk if you want to pack up your shelf?”

Molly nodded and the pair of them got to work, though it didn’t last very long. After about twenty minutes, they were joined by Percy and Lucy.

Audrey pulled herself away from the desk to watch her daughters sit together on the floor with their heads together. For the first time, in a long time, their hair was melding together into one distinct shade of red.

~`~

Lucy smiled as Devon walked out of the fireplace, brushing ash out of his hair and off of his jeans. She stepped forward and kissed him quickly before grabbing his hands and holding them in her own.

“Come on you two,” said Molly from behind the pair of them, “mum and dad are waiting to start dinner.”

Lucy rolled her eyes and followed after Molly out into the garden, where Audrey, Percy, their Uncles Rory and Liam, and Artie were all sitting at the table.

“Finally,” said Percy as Lucy, Molly, and Devon all sat down, before reaching forward to start piling mashed potatoes on his plate. “We thought you weren’t going to come Devon.”

“Sorry Mr. Weasley,” said Devon as he grabbed a pork chop off of a platter that was being passed around. “My sister was late.”

Lucy smiled at Devon, and squeezed his knee quickly, not caring who saw. They had grown even closer together now that Lucy wasn’t distracted with Molly’s sickness or the thought of failing Charms.

“Oh, girls these came for you while you were visiting LeeAnne and Freddie,” said Audrey as she passed down two envelopes.

Lucy was sure that this was their OWL results, it was about that time in the summer anyways. She was also sure that this was her dad’s attempt of distracting them to get the best pork chops.

Molly leaned over and whispered to Lucy exactly what she was thinking, “let’s just get this over with.”

Lucy slowly opened her envelope, and pulled out her letter, skimming down to the only part that mattered to her.

_Lucille Fredalina Weasley has received:_

_Charms_ E

 _Transfiguration_ O

 _Herbology_ E

 _Defense_ _Against_ _the_ _Dark_ _Arts_ E

 _Ancient_ _Runes_ O

 _Potions_ E

 _Astronomy_ O

 _Arithmancy_ O

 _History_ _of_ _Magic_ A

“How’s your Charms score?” asked Molly putting her head on Lucy’s shoulder.

“I got an E,” whispered Lucy, smiling to herself. She would be able to continue in Charms next year, she would be able to continue in all of her classes next year.

“Congratulations!” squealed Molly, as she pulled away from Lucy with a large grin. “Next year is going to be perfect!”

Lucy handed Devon her letter, while Molly leaned over to Artie to show him her own scores. Lucy was proud of herself. She had done it, got her passing score in Charms.

Next year was going to be perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, okay, we're through. I am going to take a few weeks off, it's my dad's birthday next weekend and I'll be out of town for my friend's birthday the weekend after that. If you're interested in seeing what Molly (and Lucy) do with their life next, keep a look out for One Night in November. Though fair warning, my update schedule will probably be even more wacky with NaNoWriMo.
> 
> Anyways, thank you to everyone who read my little story about the Phillips/Weasley family, and I can't wait to see you again in a few weeks.

**Author's Note:**

> Any questions, thoughts, or snide remarks? Leave them in the review box!


End file.
